Hi Deborah What you are experiencing could probably due to radiation treatment. When you receive radiation to chest region a part of the radiation goes into your esophagus (tube through which the food passes before it reaches the stomach). Along with the destruction of tumor the inner lining of the esophagus can also get damaged. Also the skin in the irradiated areacan become red and inflamed. All these radiation reactions tend to appear after you have received 10-15 fractions of treatment Dont worry. These radiation reactions are temporary. They will subside 2-4 weeks after you finish your radiation. My advise to you would be Drink plenty of fluids / Avoid hot and spicy food You can take sucralfate / pepticaine syrups 10-15 min before food as these would probably give you a soothening effect and reduces the pain during swallowing Ask your doctor for analgesics (pain killers) I am not sure whether they are available over the counters in your country. What we usually prescribe is tramadol/ paracetomol combination. If the pain is really severe may be oral morphine (for which you definitely need a doctors prescription If the skin over the chest or neck is getting inflamed-- Dont rub over the skin, avoid using soaps or skin irritating oinments. If the skin is getting burned you can use oinments like silve suphadiazine Dont worry this has probably nothing to do with tumor it may only be a part of normal radiation reactions. Do consult your radiation oncologist if problems get worse Dr Edison