Fatigue and skin irritation can be categorized as what type of radiation therapy side effects?

Fatigue and skin irritation are classified as acute effects of radiation therapy because they typically occur during or shortly after the administration of treatment. Acute effects are characterized by their onset within a few hours to days after exposure, reflecting the immediate response of the body to radiation. In contrast, late effects would manifest weeks, months, or even years later and are often associated with long-term changes in tissues that have undergone radiation. Chronic effects would involve persistent issues that may continue for an extended period, but acute effects are specifically tied to the short-term impact of radiation treatment. Rare effects refer to side effects that occur infrequently and are not common among patients undergoing radiation therapy. Therefore, the categorization of fatigue and skin irritation as acute effects is based on their timing and nature of occurrence in relation to radiation therapy.