There are two types of radiation therapy, and your doctor will consider many factors when deciding which is best for you, including:
With external beam radiation therapy, a large machine sends radiation waves to the site of cancer from outside the body.
You can’t see the rays, and the apparatus doesn’t touch you but moves around you. The movement allows it to send the radiation from many different directions.
Doctors use this type of radiation as a local treatment to target a specific part of your body. For example, when used for breast cancer, the radiation is targeted only at your chest instead of your whole body.
Internal radiation therapy is done in different ways. With brachytherapy, a doctor may implant a source of radiation into your body near the cancer site. The sources of radiation are often in the form of:
This process usually takes place inside an operating room in order to contain the radiation. Doctors and technicians typically use imaging tests to be sure the implant goes in the place it needs to.
A team of doctors, including a radiation oncologist Trusted Source and a doctor who treats cancer with radiation, will determine your proper course of treatment. The team will also assess the dose and radiation frequency best suited for your cancer type and stage.
Preparation for radiation therapy involves a radiation simulation. It typically includes the steps seen below.
Radiation simulation:
Radiation therapy can take place during treatment sessions several days a week for multiple weeks. Often, the person is given each weekend off from therapy, which helps restore normal cells. Sometimes, radiation therapy can be given less often or as a one-time dose. For some IV radiation treatments, it may be given once every few months.
The total number of treatments depends on the size and type of cancer. At each session, you’ll lie on the treatment table, and your team will position you and apply the same types of cushions and restraints used during your initial radiation simulation. Protective coverings or shields may also be positioned on or around you to protect other body parts from unnecessary radiation.
Radiation therapy uses a linear accelerator machine, which directs radiation at the appropriate spot. The machine may move around the table in order to direct the radiation at the appropriate angles. The machine may also make a buzzing sound.
You should feel no pain during the session. You’ll also be able to communicate with your team via the room’s intercom, if necessary. Your doctors will be nearby in an adjacent room, monitoring the session.
Radiation therapy is an essential tool for treating cancer and is often used with other therapies, such as chemotherapy or tumor removal surgery. The main goals of radiation therapy are to shrink tumors and kill cancer cells.There are many reasons why doctors may choose to treat cancer with radiation. They use it to:
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