Radiation therapy works by destroying the cancer cell's ability to reproduce. Radiation is sometimes combined with chemotherapy or surgery, depending on the type and location of the cancer. It may be used to:
- Cure cancer
- Prevent local regrowth of the cancer
- Relieve symptoms, such as pain or shortness of breath
The treatment process for radiation therapy can take 10 to 30 minutes each day, with most of the time spent positioning the patient. The duration of a course of radiation depends on the patient’s diagnosis, stage of disease, overall health, and the goal of treatment.
External radiation beam Therapy
Radiation therapy targets the tumor using technology outside a patient's body called a linear accelerator (LINAC). With careful treatment planning, the surrounding normal tissue can be spared.
Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy
Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) treats cancerous and non-cancerous tumors. Radiation beams fit the tumor’s shape and deliver radiation directly to cancer cells from different angles. This allows for higher doses of radiation while limiting the side effects and damage to surrounding healthy tissue and organs.
Stereotactic Body Radiation
Stereotactic Body Radiation (SBRT) uses advanced imaging techniques to deliver a targeted radiation dose to a tumor. The radiation is focused on the tumor with millimeter precision.
SpaceOAR Hydrogel
SpaceOAR Hydrogel with radiation therapy pushes the rectum away from the prostate, minimizing side effects during and after prostate radiation therapy.
Radioactive Iodine Therapy
Radioactive Iodine Therapy (RAI) is a treatment for thyroid cancer. Your thyroid gland absorbs nearly all of the iodine in your body, so RAI collects mainly in thyroid cells, where the radiation can destroy the cancer cells that take up iodine with little effect on the rest of your body.
