Oregon Hematology Oncology Associates

• Cancer Overview
• Chemotherapy
• Radiation Therapy
• Surgery
• Biotherapy

Radiation Therapy

What is radiation therapy?

The use of high energy rays or particles to treat disease is called radiation therapy. Sometimes it’s called radiotherapy. Radiation is a special kind of energy carried by waves or a stream of particles. It can come from special machines or from radioactive substances.

How does radiation therapy work?

High doses of radiation can kill cells or keep them from growing and dividing. Radiation therapy is a useful tool for treating cancer because cancer cells grow and divide more rapidly than many of the normal cells around them. Although some normal cells are affected by radiation, most normal cells appear to recover more fully from the effects of radiation than do cancer cells. Doctors carefully limit the intensity of treatments and the area being treated so that the cancer will be affected more than normal tissue.

What are the benefits and goals of radiation therapy?

Doctors can use radiation before surgery to shrink a tumor. After surgery, radiation therapy may be used to stop the growth of any cancer cells that remain. Even when curing the cancer is not possible, radiation therapy still can bring relief. Many patients find the quality of their lives improved when radiation therapy is used to shrink tumors and reduce pressure, bleeding, pain, or other symptoms of cancer.

How is radiation therapy given?

Radiation therapy can be in either of two forms: external or internal. Most people who receive radiation therapy for cancer have the external type. It is usually given during outpatient visits to a hospital or treatment center each day, Monday through Friday, for a set period of time. The initial visit to plan treatment may take 1-3 hours. The successive visits will last approximately 20 minutes; however, the actual treatment takes only 1-3 minutes.

Who gives radiation treatments?

• A radiation oncologist prescribes the type and amount of treatment that best suits your needs.
• The radiation physicist makes sure that the equipment is working properly and ensures that the machines deliver the right dose of radiation.
• The dosimetrist helps carry out your treatment plan by calculating the number of treatments and how long each treatment should last.
• The radiation therapist sets you up for your treatments and runs the equipment that delivers the radiation.

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©2003 Oregon Hematology Oncology Associates, P.C., Inc. All rights reserved. This site is for educational purposes only and is intended for your general knowledge. It should not be used as a substitute for advice from your physician or other healthcare professional.