Facing a cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming, but understanding the treatment options available will help you feel more in control to make informed decisions. One common treatment for cancer is radiotherapy. Let’s explore what radiotherapy is and what you can expect during treatment. 

What is Radiotherapy? 

Radiotherapy (radiation therapy) is a treatment that uses high doses of radiation delivered to your body to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Unlike chemotherapy, which affects the entire body, radiotherapy targets the specific parts of your body where cancer is present. The goal is to destroy cancerous cells or slow their growth while minimizing damage to the surrounding areas. 

How Radiotherapy Works 

Radiotherapy works by damaging the DNA inside cancer cells to prevent them from growing and dividing, eventually leading to their death. The treatment is carefully planned to ensure the maximum dose of radiation is delivered to the tumor while protecting healthy tissues as much as possible. 

Types of Radiotherapy 

There are three main types of radiotherapy based on how it is delivered to the patient’s body: external, internal, and systemic. The choice of radiation therapy depends on various factors, including the type of cancer, the tumor’s location, and the stage of the disease. 

External Beam Radiotherapy (EBRT) 

External radiation therapy is the most common type of radiotherapy. 

It uses a machine called a linear accelerator that moves around you and directs beams of radiation at the tumor area from outside the body. The treatment is usually given over several sessions, typically once a day, five days a week, for a few weeks. 

Internal Radiotherapy (Brachytherapy, BT) 

Internal radiation therapy, also known as brachytherapy, involves placing a radioactive source inside the body, near or into the tumor, for a short time or permanently. 

Brachytherapy allows a higher dose of radiation to be delivered to a smaller area over a shorter period. Brachytherapy can often be completed in fewer treatment sessions than external beam radiation therapy. Brachytherapy can treat many cancers such as skin, prostate, cervical, breast, tongue and rectal cancer. 

Systemic radiation therapy uses radioactive substances that travel through the bloodstream and target cancer cells throughout the body, such as radioactive iodine for thyroid cancer. 

What to Expect During Radiotherapy 

Before Treatment 

Before starting radiotherapy, you’ll have a planning session called a simulation to help plan the treatment precisely. During this session: 

• Imaging Scans: you will undergo imaging scans, such as CT or MRI, to help the treatment team precisely map out the area to be treated. 

• Positioning: you’ll be positioned carefully, sometimes using custom molds or masks, to ensure you remain in the same position during each treatment session. 

• Marking the Area: Small marks may be made on your skin to guide the radiotherapy machine. 

During Treatment 

The treatment sessions are painless and typically last about 10-30 minutes each. Here’s what happens: 

• Preparation: you’ll be positioned on a treatment table, and the radiotherapy machine will be adjusted to target the marked areas. 

• Radiation Delivery: the machine will deliver the radiation from different angles but will never touch you. You need to stay very still, but you can breathe normally. 

• Monitoring: the radiotherapy team will monitor you from a nearby room, and you can communicate with them through an intercom. 

For brachytherapy, the process is slightly different: 

• Placement of radioactive source: the radioactive material is placed inside your body, temporarily 

• Delivery of radiation: for temporary brachytherapy, radioactive material is placed inside a catheter and removed after a few minutes.  

• Monitoring during treatment: throughout the procedure, your healthcare team monitors the placement of radioactive material and ensures accurate delivery. 

After Treatment 

After each session, you can typically go about your everyday activities. However, you might experience some side effects linked to the overall dose administered, the targeted area, and the type of radiation. Common side effects include: 

• Fatigue: feeling tired is common and might increase as treatment progresses. 

• Skin Changes: the treated area may become red, sore, or irritated, like a sunburn. 

Depending on the treatment area, you might experience specific side effects, such as digestive issues for abdominal treatments or difficulty swallowing for chest treatments. Your healthcare team will guide you in managing any side effects you may experience.  

Radiotherapy is a powerful tool in the fight against cancer, offering hope and the possibility of remission or cure. While the prospect of treatment can be daunting, different types of radiation therapy exist, and understanding what to expect with each can help alleviate some of the anxiety. Always communicate openly with your healthcare team, ask questions, and seek support from loved ones. They are there to help you through every step of your journey. 

Additional sources you can check: 

Radiation Therapy for Cancer – NCI 

www.Aboutbrachytherapy.com