Radiation therapy uses waves of high energy rays or particles to kill cancer cells. Doctors give radiation therapy to shrink the tumor before surgery and eliminate any traces of cancer left after surgery. There are two main types of radiation therapy:
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In external beam radiation, a large machine aims radiation at your tumor from outside the body. External beam radiation is usually administered five days a week for approximately five to seven weeks.
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In internal radiation therapy, the doctor uses a catheter to place radioactive pellets inside your body near the cancer. This method allows doctors to give higher doses of radiation to the exact treatment area than with external beam radiation. Internal radiation therapy is also administered less frequently, due to the high dosages.
Healthy cells may also be damaged in the area being treated. This damage to healthy cells can cause various side effects and complications, depending on the part of the body being treated. Fortunately, most of the side effects of radiation therapy are short-term and go away within two months after finishing treatment. In the meantime, there are many things you can do to manage and cope with them.
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