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Radiation is a special kind of energy carried by waves or
a stream of particles. It can come from special machines
or from radioactive substances. Many years ago doctors learned
how to use this energy to see inside the body and find disease.
You've probably seen a chest x-ray or x-ray pictures of your
teeth or your bones. When radiation is used at high doses
(many times those used for x-ray exams), it can be used to
treat cancer and other illnesses. Special equipment is used
to aim the radiation at tumors or areas of the body where
there is disease. The use of high-energy rays or particles
to treat disease is called radiation therapy.
High doses of radiation can kill cells or keep them from
growing and dividing. Radiation therapy is a useful tool
for treating cancer because cancer cells grow and divide
more rapidly than many of the normal cells around them. Although
some normal cells are affected by radiation, most normal
cells recover more fully from the effects of radiation than
do cancer cells. Doctors carefully limit the intensity of
treatments and the area being treated so that the cancer
will be affected more than normal tissue.
Radiation therapy is an effective way to treat many kinds
of cancer in almost any part of the body. Half of all people
with cancer are treated with radiation, and the number of
cancer patients who have been cured is rising every day.
For many patients, radiation is the only kind of treatment
needed. Thousands of people are free of cancer after having
radiation treatments alone or in combination with surgery
or chemotherapy.
Doctors can use radiation before surgery to shrink a tumor.
After surgery, radiation therapy may be used to stop the
growth of any cancer cells that remain. In some cases,
doctors use radiation along with anticancer drugs to destroy
the cancer, instead of surgery.
Even when curing the cancer is not possible, radiation therapy
still can bring relief. Many patients find the quality of
their lives improved when radiation therapy is used to shrink
tumors and reduce pressure, bleeding, pain, or other symptoms
of cancer. This is called palliative care.
Like many other treatments for disease, there are risks
for patients who are receiving radiation therapy. The brief
high doses of radiation that damage or destroy cancer cells
also can hurt normal cells. When this happens, the patient
has side effects. The risk of side effects is usually
less than the benefits of killing cancer cells.
Radiation therapy can be in either of two forms: external
or internal. Some patients have both forms, one after the
other. Most people who receive radiation therapy for
cancer have the external type. It is usually given during
outpatient visits to a hospital or treatment center. In external
therapy, a machine directs the high-energy rays or particles
at the cancer and the normal tissue surrounding it.
The type of radiation machine utilized at our centers are
called a linear accelerator. This machine can work in
two different modes. One mode is better for treating
cancers near the skin surface, the other work best on cancers
deeper in the body. Your doctor decides which machine mode
is best for you.
When internal radiation therapy is used, a radioactive substance,
or source, is sealed in small containers such as thin wires
or tubes called implants. The implant is placed directly
into a tumor or inserted into a body cavity. Sometimes, after
a tumor has been removed by surgery, implants are put into
the area around the incision to kill any tumor cells that
may remain.
A doctor who has had special training in using radiation
to treat disease--a radiation oncologist--will prescribe
the type and amount of treatment that best suits your needs.
The radiation oncologist works closely with other doctors
involved in your care and also heads a highly trained health
care team. Your radiation therapy team may include:
The radiation physicist, who makes sure that the
equipment is working properly and ensures that the machines
deliver the right dose of radiation.
The dosimetrist, who helps carry out your treatment
plan by calculating the number of treatments and how long
each treatment should last.
The radiation therapy nurse, who provides nursing care and
helps you learn about treatment and how to manage side effects.
The radiation therapist, who sets you up for your treatments
and runs the equipment that delivers the radiation.
You also may use the services of a dietitian, a physical
therapist, a social worker, and other health care professionals.
Treatment of cancer with radiation can be costly. It requires
very complex equipment and the services of many health care
professionals. The exact cost of your radiation therapy will
depend on the type and number of treatments you need.
Most health insurance policies, including Part B of Medicare,
cover charges for radiation therapy. It's a good idea to
talk with your doctor's office staff or the hospital business
office about your policy and how expected costs will be paid.
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