Radiation Therapy

Cancer treatments may vary depending upon the type of cancer, the stage of cancer, and the goal of treatment.

It is common to use several treatment modalities concurrently (together) or in sequence.  These modalities may include surgery, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and/or radiation therapy.

Radiation therapy works by damaging the DNA in the cancer cells, thereby disabling the cancer cells from reproducing and growing.  The cancer cells then die and shrink.  The objective of radiation therapy is to kill the cancer cells to maximize the probability of cure and to minimize side effects.

Under some circumstances, radiation therapy may be used for palliative care, which is aimed at reducing symptoms but not curing the underlying disease.

Radiation is usually administered in the form of high-energy beams that deposit the radiation dose in the body where the cancer cells are located.  Radiation therapy, unlike chemotherapy, is considered a localized treatment.  This means that cancer cells are only killed at the location in the body where the radiation is delivered, called the radiation field.