Radiation oncology is the medical specialty that uses radiation therapy (ionizing radiation) for cancer treatment. Radiation therapy is often applied, and may be used on its own or in tandem with other treatments such as chemotherapy or surgery. The original principle of radiation therapy is to deposit precise irradiation on targeted tissues, while minimizing damage to healthy neighboring tissues.
Radiation therapy uses different kinds of ionizing radiation for cancer and other benign illnesses’ treatment in a safe, efficient way. Radiation therapists can use radiation to cure cancer, to control cell growth or to do palliative control on symptoms. What makes radiation therapy effective is DNA damage on cancerous cells as their tissues are irradiated.
It’s applied on roughly 60% of cancer cases, and may be used on its own or in tandem with chemotherapy, before or after surgery, depending on the type of tumor, its location and phase.
Radiation therapy is divided into external therapy, brachytherapy and systemic radioisotope therapy. Differences lay on the position of the radiation source compared to the body.
In external radiation therapy, the source is placed a certain distance from the patient. In brachytherapy, radioactive sources are placed inside the body cavities or implanted directly into tissuesIn systemic radioisotope therapy, the radioactive source is administered as oral or IV medicine.
The radiation oncologist is the doctor responsible for radiotherapy treatments. Aside from prescribing type and technique for said therapy, planning and monitoring every treatment stage, these doctors can use modern technology to “draw” the area to be irradiated and the areas to be protected. Contribution from a physicist with a radiation specialization is fundamental for this work.
At Oncoclinicas Group, radiation oncologists work with multidisciplinary teams. That’s a contemporary, assertive approach, that integrates several specializations. Complete, broad, completely individualized support, respecting each patient’s needs and history and yields better cure, survival and, mainly, quality of life results.
Symptoms management
Radiation therapy uses high energy X-ray fields for palliative symptom control. Although the goal isn’t curing the illness, palliative treatment may be recommended for tumor growth delaying or size reduction, or for managing symptoms such as pain, bleeding and pressure over delicate organs.
Palliative radiation therapy can be indicated to alleviate bone pains, treating spinal cord compression, managing ulcerating tumors and reducing bleeding, treating lung tumor symptoms, reducing tumors to diminish or block pressure and treating skull tumors.
