damage to surrounding tissues (e.g. lung, heart), depending on how close the area of interest is located to the tumor inability to kill tumor cells that cannot be seen on imaging scans and are therefore not always included on the 3D models (e.g. in near-by lymph nodes; metastatic disease) of radiation planning inability to kill the all cancer cells in tumors (this is true in particularly large tumors) inability to relieve mass effect (i.e. the pushing of tumor on surrounding normal structures) in certain parts of the body (e.g. brain), thereby requiring surgery poor killing of cancer cells in areas that do not have a good supply of oxygen (e.g. in an area after surgery; in a limb with poor blood supply) increased incidence in wound complication and poor healing (e.g. if surgery is used after radiation; or in parts without good circulation) inconvenience of radiation therapy (e.g. in some cases it must be delivered daily, 5 days per week, for 1-2 months) contraindications to radiation therapy (e.g. prior radiation; certain medical disorders)
