RADIATION THERAPY FOR CANCER

TYPES

Radiation therapy is classified as an internal or external beam. This depends on the kind of radiation therapy you may require, which is based on the following:

• The type of cancer
• The tumor size
• The location of the cancer
• The closeness of the tumor to normal tissues
• Medical history
• Other Cancers
• Your age
• Other medical conditions

External Beam Radiation Therapy

External beam radiation therapy is given through a machine. It moves around you without touching and delivers radiation to your body in different directions. Considered as local treatment, external beam radiation therapy treats a specific part of the body. For example, if you have lung cancer, radiation will be given on your chest only.

Internal Radiation Therapy

Internal radiation therapy is done by placing a radiation source inside your body. It can be solid or liquid.

Brachytherapy is internal radiation therapy with a solid source. The radiation sources are fixed in the body, in or near the tumor in this treatment. Brachytherapy treats only a specific part of the body, like external beam radiation therapy. The radiation source in your body will emit radiation.

Systemic therapy is internal radiation therapy with a liquid source and means that the radiation finds cancer cells within the body and kills it. You receive systemic radiation through an injection or a vein via an IV line. The body fluids, such as urine, sweat, and saliva, will give off radiation for a while in systemic radiation.

TREATMENT

Palliative treatment is a treatment that is effective in treating symptoms. Treating pain and other problems caused by the tumor, such as trouble breathing or loss of bowel and bladder control is through external beam radiation. Radiation therapy drugs called radiopharmaceuticals treat pain from cancer that has spread to the bone.