Questions and Answers About Radiation Therapy
What is radiation
therapy? | Radiation therapy (also called radiotherapy) is a cancer
treatment that uses high doses of radiation to kill cancer cells
and stop them from spreading. At low doses, radiation is used
as an x-ray to see inside your body and take pictures, such as
x-rays of your teeth or broken bones. Radiation used in
cancer treatment works in much the same way, except that it is
given at higher doses.
|
|
How is radiation
therapy given? | Radiation therapy can be external beam (when a machine
outside your body aims radiation at cancer cells) or internal
(when radiation is put inside your body, in or near the cancer
cells). Sometimes people get both forms of radiation therapy.
To learn more about external beam radiation therapy, see
"External Beam Radiation Therapy".
To learn more about internal radiation therapy, see
"Internal Beam Radiation Therapy".
|
|
Who gets
radiation therapy? | Many people with cancer need radiation therapy. In fact,
more than half (about 60 percent) of people with cancer get
radiation therapy. Sometimes, radiation therapy is the only
kind of cancer treatment people need.
|
|
What does
radiation therapy
do to cancer cells? | Given in high doses, radiation kills or slows the growth of
cancer cells. Radiation therapy is used to:
- Treat cancer. Radiation can be used to cure, stop, or slow
the growth of cancer.
-
Reduce symptoms. When a cure is not possible, radiation
may be used to shrink cancer tumors in order to reduce
pressure. Radiation therapy used in this way can treat
problems such as pain, or it can prevent problems such as
blindness or loss of bowel and bladder control.
|
|
How long does
radiation therapy
take to work? | Radiation therapy does not kill cancer cells right away. It takes
days or weeks of treatment before cancer cells start to die.
Then, cancer cells keep dying for weeks or months after
radiation therapy ends.
|
|
What does
radiation therapy
do to healthy cells? | Radiation not only kills or slows the growth of cancer cells, it
can also affect nearby healthy cells. The healthy cells almost
always recover after treatment is over. But sometimes people
may have side effects that do not get better or are severe.
Doctors try to protect healthy cells during treatment by:
- Using as low a dose of radiation as possible. The
radiation dose is balanced between being high enough to
kill cancer cells yet low enough to limit damage to healthy
cells.
-
Spreading out treatment over time. You may get
radiation therapy once a day for several weeks or in smaller
doses twice a day. Spreading out the radiation dose allows
normal cells to recover while cancer cells die.
-
Aiming radiation at a precise part of your body. New
techniques, such as IMRT and
3-D conformal radiation
therapy, allow your doctor to aim higher doses of
radiation at your cancer while reducing the radiation to
nearby healthy tissue.
-
Using medicines. Some drugs can help protect certain
parts of your body, such as the salivary glands that make
saliva (spit).
|
|
Does radiation
therapy hurt? | No, radiation therapy does not hurt while it is being given. But
the side effects that people may get from radiation therapy can
cause pain or discomfort. This book has a lot of information
about ways that you, your doctor, and your nurse can help
manage side effects.
|
|
Is radiation
therapy used with
other types
of cancer
treatment? | Yes, radiation therapy is often used with other cancer
treatments. Here are some examples:
- Radiation therapy and surgery. Radiation may be given
before, during, or after surgery. Doctors may use radiation
to shrink the size of the cancer before surgery, or they
may use radiation after surgery to kill any cancer cells
that remain. Sometimes, radiation therapy is given
during surgery so that it goes straight to the cancer
without passing through the skin. This is called
intraoperative radiation.
-
Radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Radiation may be
given before, during, or after chemotherapy. Before or
during chemotherapy, radiation therapy can shrink the
cancer so that chemotherapy works better. Sometimes,
chemotherapy is given to help radiation therapy work
better. After chemotherapy, radiation therapy can be used
to kill any cancer cells that remain.
|
|
Who is on my
radiation therapy
team?
| Many people help with your radiation treatment and care. This
group of health care providers is often called the "radiation
therapy team." They work together to provide care that is just
right for you. Your radiation therapy team can include:
- Radiation oncologist. This is a doctor who specializes in
using radiation therapy to treat cancer. He or she
prescribes how much radiation you will receive, plans how
your treatment will be given, closely follows you during
your course of treatment, and prescribes care you may need
to help with side effects. He or she works closely with the
other doctors, nurses, and health care providers on your
team. After you are finished with radiation therapy, your
radiation oncologist will see you for follow-up visits.
During these visits, this doctor will check for
late side effects and assess how well the radiation has worked.
- Nurse practitioner. This is a nurse with advanced
training. He or she can take your medical history, do
physical exams, order tests, manage side effects, and closely
watch your response to treatment. After you are finished
with radiation therapy, your nurse practitioner may see
you for follow-up visits to check for late side effects and
assess how well the radiation has worked.
- Radiation nurse. This person provides nursing care during
radiation therapy, working with all the members of your
radiation therapy team. He or she will talk with you about
your radiation treatment and help you manage side effects.
- Radiation therapist. This person works with you during
each radiation therapy session. He or she positions you for
treatment and runs the machines to make sure you get the
dose of radiation prescribed by your radiation oncologist.
- Other health care providers. Your team may also include
a dietitian, physical therapist, social worker, and others.
- You. You are also part of the radiation therapy team.
Your role is to:
- Arrive on time for all radiation therapy sessions
- Ask questions and talk about your concerns
- Let someone on your radiation therapy team know
when you have side effects
- Tell your doctor or nurse if you are in pain
- Follow the advice of your doctors and nurses about
how to care for yourself at home, such as:
- Taking care of your skin
- Drinking liquids
- Eating foods that they suggest
- Keeping your weight the same
|
|
You are the most important part of the radiation therapy team.
|
Be sure to arrive on time for ALL
radiation therapy sessions.
|
|
Is radiation
therapy expensive? | Yes, radiation therapy costs a lot of money. It uses complex
machines and involves the services of many health care
providers. The exact cost of your radiation therapy depends
on the cost of health care where you live, what kind of
radiation therapy you get, and how many treatments you need.
Talk with your health insurance company about what services
it will pay for. Most insurance plans pay for radiation therapy
for their members. To learn more, talk with the business office
where you get treatment. You can also contact the National
Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service and ask for the
"Financial Assistance for Cancer Care" fact sheet. See
"Resources for Learning More"
for ways to contact the National Cancer Institute.
|
|
Should I follow
a special diet
while I am getting
radiation therapy? | Your body uses a lot of energy to heal during radiation
therapy. It is important that you eat enough calories and
protein to keep your weight the same during this time. Ask
your doctor or nurse if you need a special diet while you are
getting radiation therapy. You might also find it helpful to
speak with a dietitian.
To learn more about foods and drinks that are high in calories
or protein, see
"Foods and Drinks That Are High in Calories or Protein". You may also want to read
Eating Hints, a book from the National Cancer Institute. You
can order a free copy online at www.cancer.gov/publications
or 1-800-4-CANCER. |
|
Ask your doctor, nurse, or dietitian
if you need a special diet while
you are getting radiation therapy.
|
|
Can I go to work
during radiation
therapy? | Some people are able to work full-time during radiation
therapy. Others can only work part-time or not at all. How
much you are able to work depends on how you feel. Ask your
doctor or nurse what you may expect based on the treatment
you are getting.
You are likely to feel well enough to work when you start
radiation therapy. As time goes on, do not be surprised if you
are more tired, have less energy, or feel weak. Once you have
finished your treatment, it may take a few weeks or many
months for you to feel better.
You may get to a point during your radiation therapy when
you feel too sick to work. Talk with your employer to find
out if you can go on medical leave. Make sure that your
health insurance will pay for treatment when you are on
medical leave. |
|
What happens
when radiation
therapy is over? | Once you have finished radiation therapy, you will need
follow-up care for the rest of your life. Follow-up care refers
to checkups with your radiation oncologist or nurse
practitioner after your course of radiation therapy is over.
During these checkups, your doctor or nurse will see how well
the radiation therapy worked, check for other signs of cancer,
look for late side effects, and talk with you about your
treatment and care. Your doctor or nurse will:
- Examine you and review how you have been feeling. Your
doctor or nurse practitioner can prescribe medicine or
suggest other ways to treat any side effects you may have.
- Order lab and imaging tests. These may include blood
tests, x-rays, or CT, MRI, or PET scans.
-
Discuss treatment. Your doctor or nurse practitioner may
suggest that you have more treatment, such as extra
radiation treatments, chemotherapy, or both.
-
Answer your questions and respond to your concerns. It
may be helpful to write down your questions ahead of time
and bring them with you. You can find sample questions
in "Questions To Ask Your Doctor or Nurse".
|
|
After radiation
therapy is over,
what symptoms
should I
look for? | You have gone through a lot with cancer and radiation
therapy. Now you may be even more aware of your body and
how you feel each day. Pay attention to changes in your body
and let your doctor or nurse know if you have:
- A pain that does not go away
- New lumps, bumps, swellings, rashes, bruises, or bleeding
- Appetite changes, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation
- Weight loss that you cannot explain
- A fever, cough, or hoarseness that does not go away
- Any other symptoms that worry you
See "Resources for Learning More" for ways to
learn more about radiation therapy. |
|
|
Make a list of questions and problems
you want to discuss with your doctor or nurse.
Be sure to bring this list to your follow-up visits.
See "Questions To Ask Your Doctor or Nurse"
for sample questions.
|
|
Back to Top
< Previous Section | Next Section > |