RADIATION THERAPY AND ITS TYPES
Radiation therapy is one of the conventional treatment arms in the cancer world. In this treatment making use of high energy to destroy human body cells is a basic mechanism. This process of Radiation therapy that follows the principle of targeting only the diseased cells in the body is planned in a way that the healthy cells are left intact as far as possible. This planning is done by experts referred to as radiation oncologists.
When Does Radiation Therapy Require?
The conditions in which Radiation therapy is useful for treating are the following:
1. Malignant Conditions:
Radiation therapy is exploited in the treatment of various cancers at some stage with a good predicted outcome like blood cancer, bone cancer, liver cancer, breast cancer, brain cancer, stomach cancer, and skin cancer, are some names that respond well to radiation therapy.
2. Benign Conditions:
Goiter (swelling of the thyroid gland), spurs (bony outgrowths), and several painful and inflammatory diseases of the joints like bursitis and tendonitis, are some examples of benign conditions which respond well when treated with radiation therapy. It is percutaneous here to mention that Radiation therapy is not used as often for benign conditions.
Radiation oncologists are experts as cancer specialists who administer Radiation Therapy and this stream needs a lot of study and precision.
The use of radiation therapy differs from case to case, demographic details, cancer type, stage grade, etc. in the world of oncology treatment radiation therapy is also used in combination with chemotherapy and surgery.
Conventional arm as alone strategy or Primary Mode of Treatment considered to be Radiation therapy> Means that it can be used independently as the primary and first line of treatment.
Radiation therapy in some cases of cancer is given before Surgery because in advanced cases of cancer, the tumor is very big, and as some of the tumors get destroyed, it becomes easier to be removed with surgery.
Radiation therapy in some cases is considered after Surgery the situations when cancer cells are present in adjacent organs or lymph nodes. In such cases, the remnant cancerous tissue is destroyed using radiation therapy.
In conjunction with Chemotherapy, the use of radiation therapy is preferred as a palliative treatment arm. At times, radiation therapy is used to treat palliate symptoms. It aids to shrink the tumor and subsequently reduces the symptoms which occur.
Methods/Techniques of Radiation Therapy
The various types of radiation therapy methods also available in the best cancer hospitals in India have been described below.
1. External Radiation Therapy:
X-Rays, gamma rays, or high-energy particles can be used in this form of therapy.
- Radiation Therapy external: usually administered in cycles. Each cycle could last for about 1 hour and is repeated daily for about 5-6 days consecutively. This may be repeated as long as the doctor feels necessary.
- 3D Conformal Radiation Therapy: three-dimensional images of the cancer tissue are created using particular software that helps in visualizing the target organ better.
- Intensity Modulate Radiation Therapy: it is a form of radiation therapy in which the intensity of the radiation beam can be altered. This ensures that the proper dose of radiation is administered.
- Conformal Proton Beam Radiation Therapy: this form of treatment is utilizing a proton beam. In the proton beam, the protons are positively charged particles and this is relatively a new form of treatment.
- Stereotactic radiosurgery: Allows the administration of a large dose of radiation to a relatively smaller area of cancer.
2. Internal Radiation Therapy (Brachytherapy)
It does not make use of radiation beams to treat. The radioactive substance is usually placed in the form of small pellets or seeds during this process – also known as seed implantation.
Radiation Therapy Internal includes interventional stage a for introducing the radioactive pellets inside. Radioactive forms of iodine, cesium, gold, cobalt, iridium, palladium, and ruthenium are usually used in brachytherapy. Preparation for brachytherapy involves deciding the radioactive substance to be chosen.
Internal radiation therapy is classified in the following two manners:
Depending Upon the Duration:
- Temporary: the radioactive pellets are introduced within the patient’s body and are removed sometime later.
- Permanent: the pellets are introduced in the patient’s body in or around the target tissue and left there.
Depending Upon the Implantation Site:
- Intracavity: radioactive material is inserted within a body cavity, the therapy is intracavity brachytherapy
- Interstitial: the radioactive material may be inserted around the tumor or in the tumor walls. This is defined as interstitial brachytherapy.
The above-described types of radiation therapy can be administered individually or in combination- FOR MORE DETAILS CONTACT THE EXPERT TEAM OF ONCOLOGIST FOR RADIATION THERAPY IN INDIA WITH CANCER ROUNDS
