RADIATION THERAPY

Radiation Therapy

Radiation Therapy

Introduction

More than half of all people with cancer are treated with radiation therapy, a type of cancer treatment that is used to shrink tumours and stop the growth of cancer cells. Keep reading to get the facts on radiation therapy, including what it is, what to expect, and how to cope with side effects.

What Is Radiation Therapy?

Cancer is a disease that causes cells to grow abnormally and out of control. In radiation therapy, high-energy X-rays are directed at a person's body to kill cancer cells and keep them from growing and multiplying (Williams & Thwaites, 1993). Most people have been exposed to radiation in the form of an X-ray - most likely at a dentist's office. And just like the X-rays given in the dentist's office, radiation therapy is painless. But unlike a typical X-ray, the radiation isn't used just to create a picture of a tooth or broken bone. Radiation therapy delivers higher doses of radiation so that the radiation will kill cancer cells and shrink tumours. (Ash et al., 1999)

While it's killing the cancer, radiation therapy also can damage normal cells. The good news is that normal cells are more likely to recover from the effects of radiation. Doctors take precautions to protect a person's healthy cells when they're giving radiation treatments.

How Is Radiation Given?

Doctors can give people with cancer radiation therapy as the only form of treatment. Or they may use a combination of radiation therapy and chemotherapy (a treatment that uses medications or chemicals to destroy cancer cells) to fight the cancer (Williams & Thwaites, 1993). Other people with cancer may have surgery to remove tumours or cancer cells first and then have radiation therapy. Each person's situation and treatment is different. A person who has cancer will see an oncologist (pronounced: on-kah-luh-jist), a doctor who specializes in cancer treatment.

A radiation oncologist is a doctor whose specialty is using radiation to treat cancer. The radiation oncologist will work with other health care professionals to decide on the type and dose of radiation therapy that will best treat a person's cancer. Radiation therapy can be given two ways - externally, through the skin, or internally, through injection or by implanting a radioactive pellet in the body. Internal radiation therapy is very rare in teens - it's usually adults who get this form of treatment. (Ash et al., 1999)

With external radiation therapy, doctors use a large machine and special equipment that aims specific amounts of radiation directly at the cancer.

What Happens During External Radiation Therapy?

People who are having external radiation treatments usually don't need to stay in the hospital overnight. They usually visit the hospital or treatment centre 5 days a week (with weekends off) for 2 to 8 weeks. Getting small daily doses of radiation helps to protect the normal cells from damage. The weekend breaks help the normal cells to recover from radiation (Williams & Thwaites, 1993).

If you're being treated using external radiation therapy, at each appointment, you'll dress in a hospital gown or ...