Description of the procedure
Whether used alone or in combination with another treatment, radiation therapy is an option for many people with cancer. High doses of radiation are used to kill cancer cells by changing how they multiply. Cancer cells multiply more rapidly than normal cells, and as a result they are more sensitive to damage from radiation therapy.
Doctors use radiation therapy on different parts of the body. External beam radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body that directs radiation energy to specific area. Another form of treatment, called brachytherapy, puts radioactive implants either in or close to the cancerous tissue. Small "seeds," needles, or wires containing different radioactive materials are the main types of implants.
This procedure takes place in a hospital or in a clinic.
A person shown undergoing radiation therapy.
When should this procedure be performed?
Your doctor or oncologist will determine the length of time and the amount of radiation you may need. Use of radiation therapy may occur before, during, or after a surgical procedure to remove a tumor. Combining treatment methods often improves the chances of destroying a greater number of cancerous cells.
Why is this procedure performed?
Left untreated, cancer may be fatal. Untreated cancerous cells may grow within a tumor or they may spread to other organs causing damage and other complications. Radiation therapy, alone or in combination with other treatments (e.g., surgery, chemotherapy), may help save a person's life. External beam radiation therapy has been called the "invisible surgery" as it allows doctors to reach cancerous tumors that normal surgery could not address either because the patient could not undergo surgery due to age or other factors, or the tumor could not be removed because it was too enmeshed with blood vessels or a vital organ.
Are there any risks and precautions I should know about?
Radiation therapy treatments have several risks. Depending on the duration of the treatment (e.g., days, weeks, months), the area of the cancer, and the dose of radiation you receive, you may or may not experience certain complications or side effects. Although radiation destroys cancer cells, some healthy cells may also die or become damaged during the procedure. This can lead to a number of different side effects, depending on the area being treated. These may include:
- hair loss
- skin irritation
- dry mouth
- fatigue
- diarrhea
- nausea
- earaches
- difficulty swallowing
- cough
- bladder irritation
- scarring of the lungs
Very rarely, a new case of cancer may develop in the area that was previously treated with radiation. Usually this occurs a number of years or decades after treatment.