Handout: Warning Signs — Contact Us Immediately
Radiotherapy Step by Step — Designed for radiation oncologists to use in clinic
Keep this sheet somewhere visible. If any of these signs appear, contact your treatment team immediately or go to the emergency department.
Contact us immediately if you have
- Fever or chills during treatment — may indicate an infection needing urgent assessment
- New severe pain that does not settle, or a severe headache with vomiting
- New weakness or numbness in the limbs, or difficulty controlling urination or bowels (may indicate spinal cord compression — an emergency)
- Severe shortness of breath or chest pain
- Bleeding that will not stop, or severe vomiting/diarrhea preventing you from drinking fluids
- Severe ulceration in the treated area with unbearable pain
When to contact us immediately
- Do not wait for serious symptoms to improve on their own — seek help early.
If any of these appear, contact your treatment team immediately or go to the emergency department.