Radiation Therapy (Radiotherapy)

What is Radiation Therapy (Radiotherapy)?

Radiation therapy, also known as radiation therapy or atomic therapy, is a treatment method that employs beams to kill cancer cells. Therapies can target only a certain area of the body or the entire body. The main purpose of this treatment is to eradicate some diseases or to minimize their effects. The most prevalent use of radiation therapy is to treat specific forms of cancer. The basic principle in treatment is that ionizing rays (beams from the excited atom) damage or kill the proliferating cancer cells. In the treatment process, which is sometimes continued with chemotherapy (chemical therapy) or other treatment methods, tumors are eliminated.

Why is Radiation Therapy (Radiotherapy) Applied?

The intent of radiotherapy is to kill cancer cells. In addition to criteria such as the type of tumor, its dimensions, how far it has spread, and where it is located, the anatomical area covered by the adhesion is the geometric data to which the radiation dose is transmitted. The possibilities of normal tissue damage determine the limit of the radiation dose. In 60-65% of cancer patients, a single treatment or in combination with surgery and chemo is applied.

What are the Benefits of Radiation Therapy (Radiotherapy)?

• The method is used for support purposes in the treatment of various cancer diseases that cannot be treated directly with radiotherapy. This type of therapy is applied together with chemotherapy.
• It is a treatment procedure that uses varied strengths of radiation to treat the affected area while protecting the surrounding healthy area.
• Since cancer cells can multiply rapidly, this therapy can be beneficial in cleaning the cells remaining in the body after surgery.
• In advanced cancer cases, thanks to radiotherapy, the tumor shrinks, the symptoms are relieved, and the patient’s quality of life increases.

What are the Side Effects of Radiation Therapy (Radiotherapy)?

Radiotherapy side effects differ from one patient to the next. It is also possible that you will not experience any adverse effects at all. On the other hand, radiotherapy can have side effects based on the effect and severity of the radiation. Some may occur immediately after application. Others may appear years later.

The following are the most common side effects:

• Nausea and vomiting attacks
• Fatigue and weakness
• Hair loss
• Skin itching, peeling, rash, and dryness
• Diarrhea
• Mouth sores and difficulty swallowing
• Dryness in eyes and mouth
• Insomnia, loss of appetite
• Difficulty urinating
• Reducing the number of distinct blood cells

How is Radiation Therapy (Radiotherapy) Applied?

High doses of radiation are generally used in therapeutic applications. This type of therapy is applied in three different ways:

• External: The number of doses to be applied is decided to depend on personal current health states factors,, the location and volume of the tumor, and the patient’s health status.
• Internal: It is the treatment made by placing a specially prepared radioactive inside or near the tumor, or the systemic circulation.
• Systemic (applied to the entire body): It’s a method of treating cancer that involves using blood to locate and destroy the tumor.

What are the Types of Radiation Therapy (Radiotherapy)?

The types of radiotherapy applications are as follows:

• Primary Therapy:

It is the first treatment method used for the treatment of tumors. It is part of a multiple treatment set, such as surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. It is considered a very beneficial method on its own as a first-line treatment. Induction therapy is also used to be first-line therapy.

• Palliative radiotherapy:

Palliative radiotherapy can help with pain, neurologic symptoms, and obstructive symptoms, as well as provide local control of malignancies in any organ system of the body. Palliative radiotherapy can be considered a cost-effective treatment for patients suffering from advanced or metastatic cancer symptoms.