Why is radiation therapy important

Radiation therapy is a highly targeted treatment accurately controlling the cancer wherever it might be in the body. This allows the cancer cells to be killed or reduced in number whilst protecting the majority of other organs and tissues in the body. Despite this great benefit, the total cost of radiation therapy to the Commonwealth government is less than 9 cents in every dollar spent on all cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Each year of life saved in Australia by radiation therapy costs us less than one saved using other cancer treatments. In other words, radiation therapy is a very cost-effective cancer treatment. One of the reasons that radiation therapy is so cost-effective is that it is usually given as out-patient treatment- people can come in for short visits and often continue their normal activities. Radiation damages the DNA in cancer cells, which interrupts their ability to reproduce, causing them to die and the tumor to shrink.

Normal cells can recover from radiation more easily. Treatment is delivered to the target site with a machine called a linear accelerator or linac. The linac generates a high-energy beam, which is delivered from many different angles, to target each part of the tumor and deliver the prescribed amount of radiation.

Typically, treatment is delivered over several weeks. When designing your treatment plan, your medical team relies on one or more types of 3-D scans of your body. By looking at these scans and other test results, the radiation oncologist and his or her treatment team determine which treatment technique is best suited for your particular case.

Late side effects can include:. These can sometimes appear years after therapy. Talk to your doctor about any concerns you have regarding side effects.

Your doctor will also determine dosage amounts and the frequency of radiation best suited for your cancer type and stage. Sometimes your doctor may decide that radiation therapy is best suited for use at a later stage, so you may receive other cancer treatments first.

Preparation for radiation therapy involves a radiation simulation. It typically includes the steps seen below. Radiation therapy typically takes treatment sessions five days a week for 1 to 10 weeks. The total number of treatments depends on the size and type of cancer. Each session usually takes about 10 to 30 minutes. Often, the individual is given each weekend off from therapy, which helps with the restoration of normal cells.

Protective covering or shields may also be positioned on or around you to protect other body parts from unnecessary radiation.

Radiation therapy involves the use of a linear accelerator machine, which directs radiation at the appropriate spot. The machine may move around the table in order to direct the radiation at the appropriate angles. The machine may also make a buzzing sound, which is perfectly normal.

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