Radiation therapy is a type of cancer treatment. Radiation therapy aims to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Treatment with radiation may take days or weeks to start working. After treatment is completed cells die for weeks to months after the therapy ends. Radiation therapy is a common treatment option for cancer.
There are two main types of radiation therapy. External beam radiation therapy is the most common form. The second is internal radiation therapy. Which type of radiation therapy is best for you depends on the type of cancer, the size of tumor, the tumor’s location, your overall general health, age, and if you have any other medical conditions.
There are different forms of external beam radiation. They are 3D conformal radiation therapy, intensity-modulated radiation therapy, arc based radiotherapy, image-guided radiotherapy, particle therapy, stereotactic radiosurgery, stereotactic body radiation therapy, and intraoperative radiation.
Internal therapy is usually used when you have cancer in small spaces such as the head, neck, breast, cervix, uterus, or prostate. Brachytherapy is a type of internal therapy where an implant or seed is placed near the tumor inside of you. Systemic therapy is when a liquid form of radioactive material goes into your body to find and kill cancer cells. This can be done by being swallowed, or through an IV.
Radiation treatment is done over a certain course of time. This allows your body’s healthy tissues to recover in between treatments. There is a limit on how much radiation you are allowed to be given. If you go through treatments once, depending on your dosage, you may not be able to treat that same area with radiation again. Radiation can be used for before surgery treatment, during surgery, or after surgery. Before surgery radiation can help shrink a tumor. During surgery a doctor can use radiation to directly hit an area without affecting other sensitive tissues nearby. After surgery radiation can help with killing off any remaining cancer cells that were missed. Radiation therapy can also be used for palliative care. It can ease cancer symptoms and help you live a better fuller life.
Side-Effects
Like many treatments, radiation can cause side effects. Side effects can vary from patient to patient. Some patients may not have any side effects. While others may be so sick they can’t get out of bed. Side effects may not even start until several weeks into treatment.
Side effects can be fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, skin irritation, dry itchy scalp, hair loss, mouth sores, pain when swallowing, reduced appetite, pain or burning during urination, need to urinate frequently, abdominal bloating, abdominal cramping, or a sense of urgency to have a bowel movement.
Safety Precautions
Different types of radiation treatments may have different safety precautions that should be taken after a treatment is received.
Systemic radiation the radiation materials leave the body through the urine, saliva, and other fluids. This can mean that there are some extra safety precautions to take, but usually for only the first few days after treatment. These precautions can include, avoid using same utensils as others, avoid using same towels, sleep alone, limit contact with children and pregnant women for a specific amount of time after treatment, wash your laundry separately, avoid splashing when using the bathroom, flush twice after using the bathroom, wipe down toilet seat after using the bathroom, drink lots of fluids to help flush out radioactive material, no kissing, stay an arms length away from anyone in the home or who may be visiting, avoid contact with pets, and avoid public transportation.
With external radiation therapy the beam goes through your skin into your body. Because there is no source of radiation left in your body, all sources of radiation are left in the treatment room, so there may not be any extra precautions you need to take after treatment.
Your doctor will give you specifics with precautions after your type of treatment. If you are unsure make sure you ask questions, so not to put anyone else at risk of radiation exposure.
Radiation therapy aims to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. #HealthSurgeon
READ MORE: Eat 7 Portions Of Fruits And Veg A Day And Beat Cancer – Studies At University College London Say
Sources:
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/radiation-therapy
https://www.cancercenter.com/treatment-options/radiation-therapy/systemic-radiation-therapy
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/17637-radiation-therapy
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/prostate-cancer/systemic-therapy-for-prostate-cancer
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/managing-cancer/treatment-types/radiation/safety.html#:~:text=Use%20separate%20utensils%20and%20towels,from%20others%20in%20your%20household.
