Radiation Therapy

What is it?

Radiation therapy is an important form of treatment for several diseases, including malignant and benign tumors. About 60% of cases of cancer need radiation therapy, during at least one phase of the treatment, to assure curability.

With recent advances in technology, radiation therapy is currently a safe treatment, and, in the majority of cases, with little or no side effects. Always consult a physician specialized in radiation therapy to answer your questions.

What are ionizing radiations?
They are electromagnetic waves with energy sufficient to modify the structure of living matter through the removal of electrons from their atoms. This process can lead to cell death due to the changes in its interior. These radiations are invisible, painless, and depending on their energy, reach a certain depth in the body.

What is the use of Radiation therapy?
The main objective of radiation therapy is to cure a disease or avoid its relapse after chemotherapy or surgery. Additionally, it can be used to control some symptoms, such as bleeding, pain and others caused by different diseases.

What are the side effects of treatment?
Both the beneficial and undesirable effects depend on the dose used and the area of the body that is treated. It is possible, on many occasions, that the patient will not have any side effect during treatment, or may present only a transient reaction on the skin where the radiation passed through. Since side effects depends on each case, it is very important that the patient be instructed by the physician about these effects, and as to how to treat or alleviate them. Radiation therapy, for example, does not cause hair loss, unless the head is the region treated, and even so, this depends on the technique and the dose utilized. With the technological advances obtained over the last years, radiation therapy has become less toxic and more effective. 

Does the radiation remain in the patient’s body?
Radiation emitted by radiation therapy traverses the patient’s body and does not impregnate its interior. Therefore, the patient does not become radioactive e there is no problem in contact with other people.