What does radiation do for cancer

Brachytherapy is a common treatment for cancers of the prostate , uterus, cervix or breast. Some cancer patients may be treated with radiation as their primary treatment. In some cases, radiation therapy is given at the same time as chemotherapy. Chemotherapy used with radiation therapy can improve the local response and reduce metastatic disease.

In other cases, radiation therapy is given before neoadjuvant treatment or after adjuvant treatment surgery. After radiation therapy has been ordered, a planning stage occurs. The patient will first undergo a simulation scan on a special CT scanner. IV or oral contrast may be used. If a device is needed to keep the patient still such as a mask this is made at the simulation scan appointment. The radiation oncologist then outlines the area to be treated, the tumor, and the areas to be avoided such as normal organs.

The radiation plan is developed and checked by dosimetrists, medical physicists and radiation oncologists. The radiation plan then undergoes quality and safety checks. Radiation therapy is delivered on the treatment units by radiation therapists. The radiation oncologist along with other healthcare team members, including nurses and dietitians, will see the patient during radiation treatment to manage side effects.

An advanced form of three-dimensional 3-D conformal radiation, called intensity modulated radiation therapy, or IMRT , more precisely conforms the dose to the tumors, allowing safer delivery of higher doses of radiation. Other techniques that enable ultra-precise doses of radiation to tumors include stereotactic radiosurgery , which uses 3-D imaging to determine the exact coordinates of a tumor.

The highly focused gamma rays or x-rays then converge on the tumor to treat it. Linear accelerators can also be used to deliver stereotactic radiation therapy to the brain. Other parts of the body can be treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy SBRT. Emerging areas for using SBRT include lung, liver and bone.

IGRT involves performing a CT scan at the time of radiation treatment to ensure the target is aligned in the correct location. IGRT can allow for adjustments during treatment in areas of the body that are prone to movement, such as the lungs, and tumors located close to critical organs and tissues.

Radiation can also be used to cut off blood flow to a tumor in vascular organs like the liver. Research Studies. Get Involved. Cancer Biology Research. Cancer Genomics Research. Research on Causes of Cancer. Cancer Prevention Research. Cancer Treatment Research. Cancer Health Disparities. Childhood Cancers Research. Global Cancer Research. Cancer Research Infrastructure. Clinical Trials. Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research. Bioinformatics, Big Data, and Cancer.

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T-cell Transfer Therapy. In some cases, the area where the cancer most often spreads to may be treated with radiation to kill any cancer cells before they grow into tumors. For instance, people with certain kinds of lung cancer may get radiation to the head, even when there is no cancer known to be there, because their type of lung cancer often spreads to the brain. This is done to help prevent cancer from spreading to the head even before it can.

Sometimes, radiation to prevent future cancer can be given at the same time that radiation is given to treat existing cancer, especially if the area the cancer might spread to is close to the tumor itself.

Sometimes cancer has spread too much to be cured. But some of these tumors can still be treated to make them smaller so that the person can feel better.

Radiation might help relieve problems like pain, trouble swallowing or breathing, or bowel blockages that can be caused by advanced cancer.

This is called palliative radiation. If a person's cancer has returned recurred , radiation might be used to treat the cancer or to treat symptoms caused by advanced cancer. Whether radiation will be used after recurrence depends on many factors. For instance, if the cancer has come back in a part of the body that has already been treated with radiation, it might not be possible to give more radiation in the same place. It depends on the amount of radiation that was used before.

In other instances, radiation might be used in the same area of the body or a different area. Some tumors do not respond as well to radiation, so radiation might not be used even if they recur. The type of radiation you might get depends on the kind of cancer you have and where it is.

In some cases, more than one type is used. Your cancer care team can answer specific questions about the type of radiation prescribed for you, how it affects your body, and any precautions that may be needed. During your radiation therapy, a team of highly trained medical professionals will care for you. Your team may include these people:. You may also need the services of a dietitian, physical therapist, social worker, dentist or dental oncologist, pharmacist, or other health care providers.

It has long been known that radiation therapy can slightly raise the risk of getting another cancer.