With World Cancer Day falling on 4th February, we take a look at how radiation therapy works for cancer patients.
Physicians have been using radiation therapy (RT) safely and effectively for more than 100 years. Today, nearly two-thirds of all cancer patients are treated with radiation during their illness. Radiation therapy, used alone or in combination with other cancer therapies such as surgery and chemotherapy, can be used successfully in the treatment of many different types of cancer.
Radiotherapy is the use of ionising radiation to treat cancers in adults and children. It forms part of the comprehensive range of advanced care, diagnostics and treatment options for all types of cancer. Not all radiation therapy techniques and procedures are the same and every patient is unique, so care is always individually tailored.
Radiation therapy treats cancer by delivering high-energy beams (radiation) directly to the intended target, to control the growth of the cancerous tumor whilst minimising exposure to the surrounding normal, healthy tissue.
The most advanced RT technology available with modern linear accelerator is the RapidArc mode of delivery for patients requiring curative and palliative radiotherapy as part of their cancer treatment.
RapidArc radiotherapy technology is a major advance because it improves radiation dose conformity while significantly shortening treatment times. RapidArc delivers treatments two to eight times faster than other comparable treatments and also increases precision - a combination that enables physicians to improve the standard of care for patients. Tests show that even complex RapidArc treatment plans can be delivered in less than two minutes. It is as good or better at targeting tumors, and superior in protecting critical areas of the body including the spinal cord, brainstem, eyes, optic nerve and chiasm, parotid glands, and brain.
The radiation oncologist may recommend using radiation therapy in a number of different ways, such as to cure or control cancer and improve the patient's quality of life (palliative care). A highly skilled radiation oncologist will develop a treatment plan to deliver the radiation to the tumor area, whilst shielding as much surrounding healthy tissue as possible.
Radiation kills cancer cells by damaging their DNA, the molecules containing genetic information, which destroys their ability to divide and reproduce. Radiation also kills normal cells, but cancer cells grow and divide more quickly than normal ones and as a result are more susceptible to the damage from radiation. In addition, normal cells are better able than cancer cells to repair themselves and recover from the effects of radiation, which is why treatment sessions are given over the course of several weeks.
Patients do not experience any pain or discomfort during the treatment sessions, although a small number may feel a slight warming or tingling sensation in the area being targeted. Side effects can be minor or more severe, depending on the tumour, patient's general medical condition, and the treatment applied. Two of the most common side effects are fatigue and irritation or damage to the skin near the treatment site, but they are hardly seen with RapidArc.
Radiation treatment takes only a few minutes - treatments are typically scheduled five days a week, Sunday through Thursday, and continue for a few weeks.
With thanks to Dr Salim Chaib Rassou, a Radiation Oncologist at a leading private Hospital in Dubai.