What are the different types of cancer radiation treatment?
Radiation treatment of cancer or radiotherapy uses high -energy radiation to kill malignant cancer cells by damage to their DNA, which prevents replication. It is used in more than half of the cancer cases, radiation can be supplied from the outside of the body, as in the therapy of the outer beam or from the body using a technique called brachytherapy. Another type of radiation treatment is systemic radiation therapy in which the radioactive substance is transmitted by the bloodstream to cancer cells. The radiation is used to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. It can be used before, during or after cancer surgery. This treatment uses high energy X -rays and gamma rays, focused directly on a cancer tumor from an external source. Several forms of external radiotherapy minimize damage to healthy tissues near the tumor. The intensity of modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and advice led by paintings (IGRT) are advanced techniques that save healthy tissues. A machine used in all typesRadiotherapy of the outer beam focuses on the radiation beam exactly on the tumor without touching the patient. Therapeutic sessions are usually performed daily for five consecutive days. The treatment itself does not hurt, but patients may have side effects.
radiation therapy of proton beam differs from radiotherapy of external beam due to its ability to concentrate the energy of radiation at a specific depth in the body. This allows much more demanding therapy with less damage to the surrounding tissue. Small, well -defined tumors can be treated with proton beam. Tumors in the prostate, brain, neck and head can be exposed, minimizing radiation tissue damage.
Internal radiation treatment of cancer or brachytherapy also uses radiation to destroy cancer cells and shrink tumors. In this form of treatment, radiation is supplied from the body. The radiation source is implanted into the body using a catheter embedded in the RAKOWine tissues. Implants look like ribbons, wires or seeds and can be left in the body for several minutes, hours, days or permanently.
low dose implants are left in the body for up to a week and the patient is hospitalized during treatment. High -dose implants are left for only a few minutes and the treatment is performed in the series. The treatment time is different for each type of cancer. Permanent implants have become less radioactive over time and the oncologist explains the patients' precautions.
systemic radiation treatment of cancer uses radioactive drugs that are administered intravenous or orally. Drugs pass through the bloodstream into cancer cells. The treatment is performed when the patient is hospitalized, usually in a specially shielded room, so others are not exposed to radiation. After treatment, security measures are outlined to protect friends and family from radiation. Finally, the radiation completely passes from the patient's body.