Has anyone noticed their body smells different after radiotherapy ?
Is it a recognised side effect and does it go away ?
Has anyone noticed their body smells different after radiotherapy ?
Is it a recognised side effect and does it go away ?
Hi Evolve
Thanks for getting in touch and welcome to the online community.
I can see you have joined number of groups on the online forum. I hope you’re finding it helpful talking to others.
My name is Paula and I am one of the Cancer Information Nurse Specialists on the Macmillan Support Line.
Sorry to hear your experiencing a change in your body odour after your Radiotherapy. The side effects of cancer treatment can be difficult and sometimes you may feel you’re the only one experiencing these effects.
It’s not usual to become more sensitive to smells whilst having cancer treatment. These changes can occur before, during and after cancer treatments have finished. Some people have reported a pungent, chemical chlorine smell and changes in their body fluids. It’s considered a phenomenon and the cause remains unclear.
Therefore finding ways to manage this hypersensitivity to smells can be challenging. The odour may disappear by itself, or it may need further management input from your breast care nurse or cancer team. We would recommend speaking to them about it to make sure it’s not an infection causing the odour.
You may find the Breast Cancer Now and Forum useful to look at. As other people have posted questions on this concern also.
I hope this information is helpful. If you have any further questions, please get in touch by email, webchat or phone. The Macmillan Support Line offers practical, clinical, financial, and emotional support. You can call us free from landlines and from most mobile phone networks* on 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week, 8am – 8pm.
Ref: VG/PW
