BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuRadiation therapyRadiotherapy; Cancer - radiation therapy; Radiation therapy - radioactive seeds; Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT); Image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT); Radiosurgery-radiation therapy; Stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT)-radiation therapy; Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT)-radiation therapy; Intraoperative radiotherapy; Proton radiotherapy-radiation therapyRadiation therapy uses high-powered radiation (such as x-rays or gamma rays), particles, or radioactive seeds to kill cancer cells.CancerCancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body. Cancerous cells are also called malignant cells.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Information Cancer cells multiply faster than normal cells in the body. Because radiation is most harmful to quickly growing cells, radiation therapy damages cancer cells more than normal cells. This prevents the cancer cells from growing and dividing, and leads to cell death. Radiation therapy is used to fight many types of cancer. Sometimes, radiation is the only treatment needed. It may also be used in combination with other therapies such as surgery or chemotherapy to:Shrink a tumor as much as possible before surgery Help prevent the cancer from coming back after surgery or chemotherapy Relieve symptoms caused by a tumor, such as pain, pressure, or bleeding Treat cancers that cannot be removed with surgery Treat cancers instead of using surgeryTYPES OF RADIATION THERAPYDifferent types of radiation therapy include external, internal, and intraoperative.EXTERNAL RADIATION THERAPYExternal radiation is the most common form. This method carefully aims high-powered radiation or particles directly at the tumor from outside of the body. Newer methods provide more effective treatment with less tissue damage. These include:Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) Image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) Stereotactic radiotherapy (radiosurgery)Stereotactic radiotherapyStereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is a form of radiation therapy that focuses high-power energy on a small area of the body. Despite its name, radiosur...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Proton therapy is another kind of radiation used to treat cancer. Rather than using radiation to destroy cancer cells, proton therapy uses a beam of special particles called protons. Because it causes less damage to healthy tissue, proton therapy is often used for cancers that are very close to critical parts of the body. It is only used for certain types of cancer.Proton therapyProton therapy is a kind of radiation used to treat cancer. Like other types of radiation, proton therapy kills cancer cells and stops them from gro...Read Article Now Book Mark Article INTERNAL RADIATION THERAPYInternal beam radiation is placed inside your body.One method uses radioactive seeds that are placed directly into or near the tumor. This method is called brachytherapy, and is used to treat prostate cancer. It is used less often to treat breast, cervical, lung, and other cancers. BrachytherapyBrachytherapy is a procedure to implant radioactive seeds (pellets) into the prostate gland to kill prostate cancer cells. The seeds may give off hi...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Prostate cancerBrachytherapy is a procedure to implant radioactive seeds (pellets) into the prostate gland to kill prostate cancer cells. The seeds may give off hi...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Another method involves receiving a specific chemical that emits radiation. This chemical can be given in a drink with a pill, or through an IV. Liquid radiation travels throughout your body, seeking out and killing cancer cells. Thyroid cancer may be treated this way.INTRAOPERTIVE RADIATION THERAPY (IORT)This type of radiation is usually used during surgery to remove a tumor. Right after the tumor is removed and before the surgeon closes the incision, radiation is delivered to the site where the tumor used to be. IORT is generally used for tumors that have not spread and microscopic tumor cells may remain after the larger tumor is removed.Compared with external radiation, advantages of IORT may include:Only the tumor area is targeted so there is less harm to healthy tissue Only a single dose of radiation is given Delivers a smaller dose of radiationSIDE EFFECTS OF RADIATION THERAPYRadiation therapy can also damage or kill healthy cells. The death of healthy cells can lead to side effects.These side effects depend on the dose of radiation, and how often you have the therapy. External beam radiation may cause skin changes, such as hair loss, red or burning skin, thinning of skin tissue, or even shedding of the outer layer of skin.Other side effects depend on the part of the body receiving radiation:Abdomen AbdomenWhen you have radiation treatment for cancer, your body goes through changes. Follow your health care provider's instructions on how to care for you...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Brain BrainWhen you have radiation treatment for cancer, your body goes through changes. Follow your health care provider's instructions on how to care for you...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Breast BreastYou're having radiation treatment for breast cancer. With radiation, your body will go through some changes. Knowing what to expect will help you b...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Chest ChestWhen you have radiation treatment for cancer, your body goes through changes. Follow your health care provider's instructions on how to care for you...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Mouth and neck Mouth and neckWhen you have radiation treatment for cancer, your body goes through changes. Follow your health care provider's instructions on how to care for you...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Pelvic (between the hips) PelvicWhen you have radiation treatment for cancer, your body goes through changes. Follow your health care provider's instructions on how to care for you...Read Article Now Book Mark Article ProstateProstateYou had radiation therapy to treat prostate cancer. This article tells you how to care for yourself after treatment.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Open ReferencesReferencesCzito BG, Calvo FA, Haddock MG, Blitzlau R, Willett CG. Intraoperative irradiation. In: Gunderson LL, Tepper JE, eds. Gunderson and Tepper's Clinical Radiation Oncology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 22.Doroshow JH. Approach to the patient with cancer. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 169.National Cancer Institute website. Radiation therapy to treat cancer. www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/radiation-therapy. Updated January 8, 2019. Accessed June 29, 2022.Zeman EM, Schreiber EC, Tepper JE. Basics of radiation therapy. In: Niederhuber JE, Armitage JO, Kastan MB, Doroshow JH, Tepper JE, eds. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 27.AllVideoImagesTogRadiation therapy - illustration Radiation therapy is used to fight many types of cancer. Radiation targets rapidly dividing cells like cancer cells. Radiation prevents cell division and the replication of DNA (the genetic building blocks).Radiation therapyillustrationRadiation therapy - illustration Radiation therapy is used to fight many types of cancer. Radiation targets rapidly dividing cells like cancer cells. Radiation prevents cell division and the replication of DNA (the genetic building blocks).Radiation therapyillustrationTalking to your MD Radiation therapy - questions to ask your doctorSelf Care Radiation therapy - skin careOral mucositis - self-careDry mouth during cancer treatmentRelated Information Osteonecrosis(Condition)Stereotactic radiosurgery - CyberKnife(Surgery)Proton therapy(Special Topic)Stereotactic radiosurgery - discharge (Discharge) Review Date: 4/29/2022 Reviewed By: Todd Gersten, MD, Hematology/Oncology, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, Wellington, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Radiation therapyRadiotherapy; Cancer - radiation therapy; Radiation therapy - radioactive seeds; Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT); Image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT); Radiosurgery-radiation therapy; Stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT)-radiation therapy; Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT)-radiation therapy; Intraoperative radiotherapy; Proton radiotherapy-radiation therapyRadiation therapy uses high-powered radiation (such as x-rays or gamma rays), particles, or radioactive seeds to kill cancer cells.CancerCancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body. Cancerous cells are also called malignant cells.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Information Cancer cells multiply faster than normal cells in the body. Because radiation is most harmful to quickly growing cells, radiation therapy damages cancer cells more than normal cells. This prevents the cancer cells from growing and dividing, and leads to cell death. Radiation therapy is used to fight many types of cancer. Sometimes, radiation is the only treatment needed. It may also be used in combination with other therapies such as surgery or chemotherapy to:Shrink a tumor as much as possible before surgery Help prevent the cancer from coming back after surgery or chemotherapy Relieve symptoms caused by a tumor, such as pain, pressure, or bleeding Treat cancers that cannot be removed with surgery Treat cancers instead of using surgeryTYPES OF RADIATION THERAPYDifferent types of radiation therapy include external, internal, and intraoperative.EXTERNAL RADIATION THERAPYExternal radiation is the most common form. This method carefully aims high-powered radiation or particles directly at the tumor from outside of the body. Newer methods provide more effective treatment with less tissue damage. These include:Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) Image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) Stereotactic radiotherapy (radiosurgery)Stereotactic radiotherapyStereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is a form of radiation therapy that focuses high-power energy on a small area of the body. Despite its name, radiosur...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Proton therapy is another kind of radiation used to treat cancer. Rather than using radiation to destroy cancer cells, proton therapy uses a beam of special particles called protons. Because it causes less damage to healthy tissue, proton therapy is often used for cancers that are very close to critical parts of the body. It is only used for certain types of cancer.Proton therapyProton therapy is a kind of radiation used to treat cancer. Like other types of radiation, proton therapy kills cancer cells and stops them from gro...Read Article Now Book Mark Article INTERNAL RADIATION THERAPYInternal beam radiation is placed inside your body.One method uses radioactive seeds that are placed directly into or near the tumor. This method is called brachytherapy, and is used to treat prostate cancer. It is used less often to treat breast, cervical, lung, and other cancers. BrachytherapyBrachytherapy is a procedure to implant radioactive seeds (pellets) into the prostate gland to kill prostate cancer cells. The seeds may give off hi...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Prostate cancerBrachytherapy is a procedure to implant radioactive seeds (pellets) into the prostate gland to kill prostate cancer cells. The seeds may give off hi...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Another method involves receiving a specific chemical that emits radiation. This chemical can be given in a drink with a pill, or through an IV. Liquid radiation travels throughout your body, seeking out and killing cancer cells. Thyroid cancer may be treated this way.INTRAOPERTIVE RADIATION THERAPY (IORT)This type of radiation is usually used during surgery to remove a tumor. Right after the tumor is removed and before the surgeon closes the incision, radiation is delivered to the site where the tumor used to be. IORT is generally used for tumors that have not spread and microscopic tumor cells may remain after the larger tumor is removed.Compared with external radiation, advantages of IORT may include:Only the tumor area is targeted so there is less harm to healthy tissue Only a single dose of radiation is given Delivers a smaller dose of radiationSIDE EFFECTS OF RADIATION THERAPYRadiation therapy can also damage or kill healthy cells. The death of healthy cells can lead to side effects.These side effects depend on the dose of radiation, and how often you have the therapy. External beam radiation may cause skin changes, such as hair loss, red or burning skin, thinning of skin tissue, or even shedding of the outer layer of skin.Other side effects depend on the part of the body receiving radiation:Abdomen AbdomenWhen you have radiation treatment for cancer, your body goes through changes. Follow your health care provider's instructions on how to care for you...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Brain BrainWhen you have radiation treatment for cancer, your body goes through changes. Follow your health care provider's instructions on how to care for you...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Breast BreastYou're having radiation treatment for breast cancer. With radiation, your body will go through some changes. Knowing what to expect will help you b...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Chest ChestWhen you have radiation treatment for cancer, your body goes through changes. Follow your health care provider's instructions on how to care for you...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Mouth and neck Mouth and neckWhen you have radiation treatment for cancer, your body goes through changes. Follow your health care provider's instructions on how to care for you...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Pelvic (between the hips) PelvicWhen you have radiation treatment for cancer, your body goes through changes. Follow your health care provider's instructions on how to care for you...Read Article Now Book Mark Article ProstateProstateYou had radiation therapy to treat prostate cancer. This article tells you how to care for yourself after treatment.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Open ReferencesReferencesCzito BG, Calvo FA, Haddock MG, Blitzlau R, Willett CG. Intraoperative irradiation. In: Gunderson LL, Tepper JE, eds. Gunderson and Tepper's Clinical Radiation Oncology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 22.Doroshow JH. Approach to the patient with cancer. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 169.National Cancer Institute website. Radiation therapy to treat cancer. www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/radiation-therapy. Updated January 8, 2019. Accessed June 29, 2022.Zeman EM, Schreiber EC, Tepper JE. Basics of radiation therapy. In: Niederhuber JE, Armitage JO, Kastan MB, Doroshow JH, Tepper JE, eds. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 27.