Cancer Radiation: An Overview

Cancer radiation is one of the three most common types of cancer treatment. The others are surgical removal of a tumor and chemotherapy.

Other names for cancer radiation include radiotherapy, x-ray therapy, or irradiation. Sometimes, more than one type of radiation may be used. Some types are more effective because they penetrate deep into tissues and organs over a wide area. Other types can be more tightly targeted, and are most effective in smaller spaces.  

Radiation may be used as a primary treatment, or it may be used in combination with surgery and chemotherapy. Such combinations are called adjuvant therapy, which refers to any secondary cancer treatment which is administered following the primary treatment. Adjuvant therapy is designed to kill any cancer cells that remain after the primary treatment has been done. 

In many instances, the aim of radiation is curative: in other words, complete destruction of a tumor and total remission of the disease. However, the goal might also be simply to shrink the tumor as much as possible and relieve symptoms. In this latter case, treatment is referred to as "palliative."

How Does Cancer Radiation Work?

Cancer radiation therapy relies on a type of energy known as ionizing radiation, which is capable of killing cancer cells and arresting the development of malignant tumors. Radiation destroys the genetic material of cancer cells, which stops further growth or division. Most normal cells, however, can recover and resume functioning as they should.

Radiation can be used in various forms against almost any type of cancer, including leukemia and lymphoma (cancers of the blood and lymphatic system, respectively).

How Is Radiation Administered?

There are several different ways to deliver cancer radiation treatment.

External Machine - For many years, radiation was administered by use of an external machine, which targeted the general area where the tumor was growing. This could be done on an outpatient basis.

Brachytherapy - More recently, a radiation therapy called brachytherapy has been developed. Brachytherapy uses a procedure in which a radioactive substance (usually a tiny pellet) is inserted directly into the tumor or cancerous area, or as near to the cancerous area as possible. The radiation from the pellet kills cancer cells in a very narrow, targeted space, which limits damage to other cells and nearby organs or tissues.

Planning Cancer Radiation Treatment

As mentioned above, there are a number of different types of cancer radiation, along with various ways to administer it to the patient. So it's extremely important to develop a carefully considered treatment plan. Cancer radiation treatment requires a team, and one of the most important duties of the team is deciding on a type of radiation that will be most effective, and how large a dose to administer.

The goal is to make cancer radiation treatment as precise, painless, and effective as possible.