Noticing

What a lot of news there's been this week about cancer, cancer research, celebrities with cancer, etc. Am I noticing these items more now that I've had cancer or is the number simply increasing?

Nothing about the side-effects of radiotherapy in all of these, though quite a lot about those related to chemotherapy. I wonder why it's so hard to find information about what to expect from radiotherapy? Even when you have abdominal radiotherapy, for instance, all they tell you at the time is, "You may have an upset tummy..." They don't mention the abdominal cramps or the need to stay close to a WC. They don't mention that "1 in 5" people have serious, long term side effects (though, as I've said in other posts, the number I've read, rather than been told, is 50% or 1 in 2). 

For people like me who were told, "Well, you don't really need radiotherapy but you should probably have it because we made a mistake with you", having information about those side-effects is, I think, vital. I was lucky - again. I only had a couple of weeks of real discomfort and very few side-effects. I couldn't eat onions or chocolate(!) for a while and I still have to be careful about drinking coffee. 

Often, the side-effects don't manifest for some time - years even - after the radiotherapy. Again, I've been lucky. I don't have the bladder or bowel problems many people experience. Of course, if the choice were between a painful death and such problems, most of us would choose the problems; they can be managed, controlled and lived with. The relevant words here are "lived with", it seems to me.

My point? Why, when offered radiotherapy, are the possible side-effects not stressed? Would fewer people take the option? I suspect not. But at least they'd have the treatment in full knowledge of the possible consequences.