Cancer

Here is a summary of the important facts and information related to radiation therapy. Radiation therapy involves the use of high doses of radiation to kill cancer cells. New advances have made radiation therapy safer and more effective than ever. External radiation treatments are scheduled four or five days a week for several weeks. You must complete all sessions to achieve the

Here are definitions of medical terms related to radiation therapy. Adjuvant: Using therapies such as surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy in combination to achieve more effective results than using a treatment alone. Anesthesia: Loss of feeling or sensation to prevent pain so that surgery or other procedures can take place. A local anesthetic causes loss of feeling

Here are some reliable sources that can provide more information on radiation therapy. American Cancer Society (ACS)  Phone: (800) ACS-2345 / (800)227-2345 (toll-free hotline) www.cancer.org National Cancer Institute (NCI), Cancer Information Service  Phone: (800) 4-CANCER Phone: 800-422-6237 www.nci.nih.gov American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology  Phone: (800) 962-7876 Online booklet – Treating Cancer with Radiation Therapy http://www.astro.org

Radiation therapy is one of several treatments used to treat cancer by itself or in combination with other forms of treatment, most often surgery or chemotherapy. Radiation therapy is also called radiotherapy. You’ve probably seen an X-ray of your teeth or some other part of your body. At high doses – many times greater than those used

Cancer cells reproduce faster than normal cells in the body. Radiation therapy targets these rapidly dividing cells. The radiation reacts with water in the cells and this reaction damages the DNA or genetic material in the cell that controls cell growth. Normally, cells can repair themselves and continue growing. But since cancer cells can’t repair

Both internal and external radiation therapy can be used as: Curative therapy, where the goal is to eliminate all signs of cancer. Palliative therapy, which relieves symptoms, including pain. Lower doses are given over a shorter period of time. Adjuvant Therapy, which means using it in combination with other in combination with surgery, chemotherapy (use

If you need radiation therapy, you may have to travel to a larger hospital or freestanding radiation therapy center. When medically possible, external beam radiation can be provided on an outpatient basis. Patients usually require a short hospital stay for internal radiation. You may be sent to a radiation oncologist for a consultation. A radiation oncologist is a specialist

The most common type of machine used for external beam radiation is a linear accelerator. The prescribed dose of radiation is carefully programmed into the radiation therapy machine before your treatment. For each session, you will change into a hospital gown or robe. Once in the treatment room, you will lie down on a treatment

For most cancers, external radiation therapy is given four or five days a week for five to seven weeks. Taking two or three days off a week helps normal cells to recover. The course of treatment is shorter for palliative care and usually lasts two to three weeks. Research has shown that giving many smaller

Sometimes, the radiation oncologist decides the cancer is best treated using internal radiation therapy, also called brachytherapy. During this procedure, a radiation oncologist and/or surgeon surgically places the radiation source into or near the cancer cells. This way, it’s possible to deliver a higher total dose of radiation to a smaller area than with external

Patients undergoing radiation therapy usually experience side effects in the areas being treated. There are often ways to treat these symptoms. Be sure to tell your doctor or nurse if you experience any of the following side effects. Tiredness, lack of energy and fatigue Nausea and vomiting Diarrhea Hair loss Low blood counts Mouth problems