|
|
|
Radiation Therapy and You
Radiation in Cancer Treatment
What Is Radiation Therapy?
- 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. Many years ago doctors learned how to use this energy to see
inside the body and find disease. You've probably seen a chest x-ray or x-ray pictures of
your teeth or your bones. When radiation is used at high doses (many times those used for
x-ray exams), it can be used to treat cancer and other illnesses. Special equipment is
used to aim the radiation at tumors or areas of the body where there is disease. The use
of high energy rays or particles to treat disease is called radiation therapy. Sometimes
it's called radiotherapy, x-ray therapy,
cobalt therapy, electron beam therapy, or irradiation.
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?
- Radiation therapy is an effective way to treat many kinds of cancer in almost any part
of the body. Half of all people with cancer are treated with radiation, and the number of
cancer patients who have been cured is rising every day. For many patients, radiation is
the only kind of treatment needed. Thousands of people are free of cancer after having
radiation treatments alone or in combination with surgery, chemotherapy, or biological 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. Your doctor may choose to use
radiation therapy and surgery at the same time. This procedure, known as intraoperative radiation, is explained more
fully in the "External Radiation Therapy"
section. In some cases, doctors use radiation along with anticancer drugs to destroy the
cancer, instead of surgery.
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. This is
called palliative care.
Are There Risks Involved?
- Like many other treatments for disease, there are risks for patients who are receiving
radiation therapy. The brief high doses of radiation that damage or destroy cancer cells
also can hurt normal cells. When this happens, the patient has side effects. These side effects and what to do about them are discussed
later. The risk of side effects is usually less than the benefits of killing cancer cells.
Your doctor will not advise you to have any treatment unless the benefits-control of
disease and relief from symptoms-are greater than the known risks. Although it will be
many years before scientists know all of the possible risks of radiation therapy, they now
know that it can control cancer.
How Is Radiation Therapy Given?
- Radiation therapy can be in either of two forms: external or internal. Some patients
have both forms, one after the other.
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. In external therapy, a
machine directs the high-energy rays or particles at the cancer and the normal tissue
surrounding it.
One type of machine that is used for radiation therapy is called a linear accelerator. High-energy rays may also
come from a machine that contains radioactive substance such as cobalt-60.
The various machines used for external radiation work in slightly different ways. Some are
better for treating cancers near the skin surface; others work best on cancers deeper in
the body. Your doctor decides which machine is best for you. External radiation is explained later in the
document.
When internal radiation therapy is used, a
radioactive substance, or source, is sealed in small containers such as thin wires or
tubes called implants. The implant is placed directly into a tumor or inserted into a body
cavity. Sometimes, after a tumor has been removed by surgery, implants are put into the
area around the incision to kill any tumor cells that may remain.
Another type of internal radiation therapy uses unsealed radioactive sources. The source
is either taken by mouth or is injected into the body. If you have this type of treatment,
you will probably need to stay in the hospital for several days. More information about internal radiation therapy can be found later in
the document.
Who Gives Radiation Treatments?
- A doctor who has had special training in using radiation to treat disease-a radiation oncologist- will prescribe the type
and amount of treatment that best suits your needs. The radiation oncologist is the person
referred to as "your doctor" throughout this document.
- The radiation oncologist works closely with other doctors involved in your care and also
heads a highly trained health care team. Your radiation therapy team may include:
- The radiation physicist, who makes sure
that the equipment is working properly and ensures that the machines deliver the right
dose of radiation.
- The dosimetrist, who helps carry out
your treatment plan by calculating the number of treatments and how long each treatment
should last.
- The radiation therapy nurse, who provides nursing care and helps you learn about
treatment and how to manage side effects.
- The radiation therapist, who sets you up
for your treatments and runs the equipment that delivers the radiation.
You also may use the services of a dietitian,
a physical therapist, a social worker, and
other health care professionals.
Is Radiation Treatment Expensive?
- Treatment of cancer with radiation can be costly. It requires very complex equipment and
the services of many health care professionals. The exact cost of your radiation therapy
will depend on the type and number of treatments you need.
Most health insurance policies, including Part B of Medicare, cover charges for radiation
therapy. It's a good idea to talk with your doctor's office staff or the hospital business
office about your policy and how expected costs will be paid.
In some states, the Medicaid program may help you pay for treatments. You can find out
from the office that handles social services in your city or county whether you are
eligible for Medicaid and whether your radiation therapy is a covered expense.
If you need financial aid, contact the hospital social service office, the Cancer
Information Service, or the local office of the American Cancer Society. They may be able
to direct you to sources of help. These organizations are listed in the "Resources" section.
|
