What is Radiotherapy?
Radiotherapy is the use of high energy x-rays and similar rays to treat disease.Many people with cancer will have radiotherapy as part of their treatment. This can be given either as external radiotherapy from outside the body using x-rays or from within the body as internal radiotherapy.Radiotherapy works by destroying the cancer cells in the treated area. Although normal cells can also be damaged by the radiotherapy, they can usually repair themselves.
Radiotherapy treatment can cure some cancers and can also reduce the chance of a cancer coming back after surgery. It may be used to reduce cancer symptoms. Radiotherapy is commonly used alongside other treatments such as
chemotherapy and
surgery to remove a tumour.
Types of Radiotherapy
- Internal Radiotherapy
Internal radiotherapy uses radioactive metals or liquids to directly treat cancer. Internal radiotherapy implants are radioactive metal wires, seeds or tubes put in or close to a tumour. This is called brachytherapy. The radioactive metal is called a 'source' and is left inside the body for a period of time. In many types of cancer the source is removed after a few minutes or a few days.
Radioactive liquids to treat cancer are given either as a drink or by injection. These include radioactive phosphorus for blood disorders, radioactive strontium for secondary bone cancers and radioactive iodine for benign conditions.
The radioactive liquids are called isotopes. They are given as a drink or injection and may be attached to drugs designed to get the isotope into the tumour.
- External Radiotherapy
External radiotherapy uses high energy X-ray beams, cobalt irradiation or particle beams, such as protons and ions. These beams are directed at the cancer from a machine outside the body. The radiotherapy beams destroy the cancer cells in the treatment area. Normal cells are also affected but they are better at repairing themselves than cancer cells.
Side Effects
Side effects of radiotherapy include:
- Tiredness or fatigue
- Sexual and fertility problems
- Hair loss
- Sore skin
- Higher risk of infections
References
Websites:
http://www.cancerbackup.org.uk/Treatments/Radiotherapy/Generalinformation
http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=166
http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=3579
http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=3577