Don’t assume that a problem is just a side effect that it’s crucial that you live with.
It may be a complication that your healthcare provider can treat.
Scarring that develops due to this damage may further limit lung function.
Patrick Heagney / E+ / Getty Images
That is, those who continue to smoke after radiation are less likely to report symptoms.
Diagnosis
There is no specific diagnostic test to confirm radiation pneumonitis.
Instead, your healthcare provider will make a clinical diagnosis based on symptoms.
Corticosteroids, such as prednisone, are the main course of treatment.
Researchers have also been looking at ways to use targeted therapies to treat the problem.
However, studies have yet to find a proven effective treatment.
The risk of dying from RP is less than 2%.
Thus, with proper treatment, you should be able to overcome radiation pneumonitis.
However, if it goes untreated, RP can lead topulmonary fibrosis, scarring of the lungs.
Thankfully, with treatment, the condition often resolves without going on to cause life-threatening problems.
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