Which consequence may result from acute exposure to radiation therapy affecting the lungs?

Acute cough is a direct consequence that may result from radiation therapy, particularly when the lungs are exposed to radiation. During radiation treatment, lung tissue can become inflamed, leading to irritation of the air passages and resulting in a dry or productive cough. This is often part of a condition known as radiation pneumonitis, which can develop as a result of the therapy. The body's response to the damage and inflammation in the lung tissue often manifests as coughing.

On the other hand, severe nausea is typically associated with radiation to the abdominal area rather than the lungs. Vestibular dysfunction and neuropathy are conditions that relate more to other types of damage involving the nervous system and are not commonly connected to lung radiation exposure. Therefore, acute cough stands out as the consequence specifically linked to radiation therapy affecting lung tissue.