Radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high doses of radiation, with the goal of destroying cancer cells or shrinking tumors.
What Is Radiation Therapy?A radiation oncologist, the physician specialized in administering radiation therapy, uses X-rays or other types of high-energy particles. Depending on the case, this type of treatment can be combined with others, such as surgery and chemotherapy.
In cancer, cancer cells grow, divide, and multiply faster than normal cells. Radiation therapy damages the cells’ DNA, causing them to stop growing or, in some cases, be destroyed entirely. This treatment can target a specific area of the body, such as the chest, stomach, breast, or others.
Types of Radiation TherapyThere are two main types of radiation therapy. The first is external beam radiation therapy, the most common type, in which radiation is delivered from a machine located outside the body.
The second type is internal radiation therapy, also known as brachytherapy. This treatment involves placing radioactive material directly at the cancer site, with radiation delivered through small radioactive seeds or a needle.
RadiosurgeryAnother treatment method is radiosurgery, in which external radiation therapy and specialized equipment are used to precisely position the patient, allowing a single large dose of radiation to be delivered directly to the tumor. It’s generally used to treat brain tumors and tumors that can’t be treated with conventional surgery.
Learn more about radiation therapy at ABC Medical Center’s Cancer Center, where we can provide you with specialized care. Contact us!
