Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy is a common treatment option for cancer. It uses ionizing radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. There are three general types of radiation therapy:
- External beam radiation therapy delivers radiation from a machine outside your body as you lie on a table. A radiation oncologist or technician directs the radiation beam precisely at the tumor or cancer. Stereotactic radiosurgery (Gamma Knife® and CyberKnife®) is a specialized type of external beam radiation therapy.
- Internal radiation therapy or brachytherapy involves placing radioactive material inside a tumor or right next to the tumor or cancer to provide a precisely targeted, high intensity radiation dosage right where it’s needed. For example, a radiation oncologist places radioactive seed implants within the prostate gland to treat prostate cancer.
- Radiopharmaceuticals are radioactive medications. They are given through an IV (intravenous), in pill form, or are placed in a body cavity. For example, a radiation oncologist uses radioactive iodine to treat thyroid cancer and radioactive antibodies to treat certain cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Radiopharmaceuticals can also treat certain brain tumors and bone pain from bone cancer.
The goal of radiation therapy varies depending on the type of cancer and its stage. It may cure some cancers, especially in early stages. Cure means your doctor can’t detect any cancer cells or their markers. Radiation therapy can also help control symptoms and cancers that can’t be cured.
Reasons for a Using Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy treats many types of cancer. Your doctor may use radiation therapy to:
- Destroy a tumor
- Lower the risk that cancer will grow again after other treatments, such as surgery or chemotherapy
- Shrink a tumor before surgically removing it
- Shrink a tumor to ease pain or other cancer symptoms
Risks and Complications
Potential side effects of radiation therapy vary depending on the type and dose of radiation, and the body area needing treatment. This is because radiation kills normal cells as well as cancer cells. Your radiation oncology team determines exactly where and how much radiation to deliver to maximize results and minimize side effects. Side effects are usually temporary, and some people experience no side effects. Your health team will have clinically proven strategies that will help minimize side effects. General risks include:
- Difficulty swallowing if radiation is near the head or neck
- Fatigue
- Hair loss near the treatment site
- Infertility
- Joint problems
- Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea
- Skin irritation, dryness, itching, peeling or blistering
- Swelling
Ask your doctor about the specific risks of your radiation therapy.
Recovery and What to Expect
People often feel fine right after a radiation therapy treatment. Side effects may develop after a couple of treatments. Fatigue is common; so take care to get adequate rest.
Ask your doctor about precautions with your radiation therapy. With internal therapy and radiopharmaceuticals, you will need to take steps to protect other people around you. External therapy does not make you radioactive.
