Radiation therapy is one way to treat cancer. While many people have negative thoughts when they think of radiation, it has many uses and is an effective cancer treatment when used properly.
Radiation is a form of energy that has many different wavelengths. Radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays to kill cancer cells over time using a linear accelerator.
“At a certain wavelength, radiation can be in the form of sunlight. A different wavelength is ultraviolet light, and yet another is a microwave,” said Dr. David Lee, Marshfield Clinic Health System radiation oncologist. “The radiation used to treat cancer is a shorter wavelength than all of these.”
Understandably, patients may have questions before or during radiation therapy treatment. We address common ones here, but talk to your provider for additional questions.
Does radiation therapy hurt?
During your treatment, you should not feel pain. After a while, the effects of radiation may damage normal cells, so pain may be a possible side effect depending on the particular site that is being treated. For example, skin reactions are common when treating breast cancer.
Normal cells usually recover from radiation therapy treatments, but tumor cells cannot repair the damage. This is why it is used as a treatment option for cancer.
Will I lose my hair?
The side effects of radiation therapy typically only occur in the area you are receiving treatment.
For instance, if you receive radiation therapy to your head, you may lose your hair. You also may have an upset stomach if you receive treatments in the stomach or diarrhea if your colon is being treated.
“Radiation therapy doesn’t cause a reaction to an area that isn’t being radiated. It is a very localized form of treatment,” said Dr. Lee.
Does radiation affect your skin?
Radiation therapy can cause a skin reaction because the radiation goes through the skin to get to the inside of the body. This is called radiation dermatitis.
Radiation dermatitis can be worse if you are treating a cancer that is on or near the skin. However, this can be managed with skin creams and your physician will help you manage any skin reactions throughout your treatment and recovery.
How long does radiation therapy take?
Each daily treatment is typically short, usually about 15 minutes. However, the number of daily treatments is different in each case. Your radiation oncologist will prescribe a specific number of treatments depending on the type and size of your cancer.
Some cells are very sensitive to radiation and die quickly so you only need a low number of treatments. Other cells are more resistant, requiring a higher number of treatments.
Why do I need a tattoo?
Your radiation oncologist only wants to treat the tumor and minimize the dose to your normal tissues. The treatment should typically be within a few millimeters of the same position every time.
To make sure this happens, your care team will need you to remain very still during your treatment. In most cases, they will use molds to help you stay still. The tattoos are the size of a freckle and are used in most cases to make sure you are in the same position for each treatment.
To learn more about radiation oncology as a treatment method for cancer, talk with your radiation oncologist.
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