Radiation Therapy And Its Effects On Cancer - 1783 Words

Along with or in place of chemotherapy, patients may need to receive radiation treatments to successfully rid themselves of cancer. The National Cancer Institute explains that radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy, â€Å"uses high-energy radiation to shrink tumors and kill cancer cells.† The Institute also describes the different forms of radiation used, including gamma rays, x-rays, or other beams of charged particles (â€Å"Radiation†). Like chemotherapy, the goal of radiotherapy is to damage the DNA of cancerous cells, disabling their reproductive capabilities. Radiotherapy can be delivered either internally, called brachytherapy, or externally through a machine that emits the beams into the body. Also, the National Cancer Institute†¦show more content†¦In an article in the journal Cancers, the benefits of proton therapy are discussed. A signature characteristic of proton beam therapy is that it does not penetrate through tumors in ways that other radi ation forms due. This is due to its â€Å"Bragg Peak,† an area where the amount of energy deposited peaks (Berman). This area is designed to be where the tumor is, and this accurate targeting means that less radiation is exposed to the other areas behind and around the tumor. Berman goes on to discuss in the Cancers article the general reduction of cancerous cells in non-small cell lung cancer patients. However, there are also side effects associated with this treatment that can be modulated with evolving technologies that provide more precise targeting. â€Å"Pencil Beam Scanning† is a developing specialized type of proton beam therapy in which the dose is maintained to a very specific area, which in turn will assist in reducing additional exposure (Berman). As discussed, radiotherapy and chemotherapeutic agents both can negatively affect the body by causing damage to healthy cells, not just those of the cancer. This issue has led to the development of a new type of t reatment, one that solely seeks out the cancer cells, kills them, and leaves the bodily cells intact for the most part. According to the National Cancer Institute, there are many different types of treatments that target theShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Chemo And Radiation Therapy On The Cancer1499 Words   |  6 Pageswith laryngeal cancer. The patient comes into the hospital for a follow up visit to his health care provider. Where he has been getting radiation and chemotherapy treatments for the cancer. He has complaints of pain, dyspnea at times and dysphasia. While discussing the progress of his condition the doctor states that the chemo and radiation therapy has not been successful and the cancer has started to progress. The doctor then states the next steps to prevent the spread of the cancer, and that’s toRead MoreEssay about Radiation Therapy1225 Words   |  5 PagesWhat do cancer, radiation, and technology have in common? The links between the three are quite e xtraordinary. Cancer is a disease that accounts for 13% of all deaths in the world (Delfino and Day 1). The disease has an impact on patients, friends and their love ones. According to WebMD, radiation is energy that travels in the form of waves through radiation therapy. Through radiation therapy, radiation is used to stop, slow or cure the growth of cancer. With technology, radiologists can treatRead MoreRadiation Therapy Is The Most Common Side Effect1005 Words   |  5 PagesRadiation Therapy is the use of high energy radiation to damage cancer cells and prevent them from growing and dividing. More than 70% of cancer patients have undergone radiation therapy treatment (1). While radiation therapy today seems to be a very common medical treatment for cancer, there are still several risks a patient takes when choosing to undergo this treatment. There are obvious physical risks that happen that most people are aware of, however, many people do not think about the psychologicalRe ad MoreCancer Is One Of The Biggest Burdens That The World Has1162 Words   |  5 PagesCancer is one of the biggest burdens that the world has to face daily. According to the National Cancer Institute, in 2012, 14 million new cases of cancer were established and 8.2 million cancer-related deaths worldwide (â€Å"Cancer Statistics†). Sadly, the number of new cancer cases and deaths will only be increasing as the years go on. Cancer has such an impacting effect on everyone, whether a loved one, yourself, or someone you knew has been affected by this disease. Due to this, I want to join theRead MoreCancer Research1035 Words   |  5 Pagesan estimated 1,685,210 new cases of cancer and an estimated of 595,690 people will die from the disease in 2016 (Cancer Statistics†). 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With more than two hundred types of cancer that can affect more than sixty organs, cancer kills a half millionRead MoreEssay on Understanding Radiation Therapy, Its Safety and Development1520 Words   |  7 Pages Introduction: Radiation therapy is the utilization of radiation in order to treat diseases like cancer as well as to detect other ailments that someone may have. Since the development of radiation therapy many advancements have been made both to the process of using radiation itself, which in turn increased its effectiveness for medical use, and to the study of other possible uses for radiation. The concepts behind radiation therapy are not overly complicated, but they are still revolutionary ideasRead MoreLethal Anti Cancer Drugs And The Treatment Of Treatment1459 Words   |  6 Pagesas part of a multimodal approach to the treatment of many tumors (Copra, 2016, pp.1). During the process of chemotherapy very potent anti-cancer drugs are used to interfere with the cancer cells ability to produce new DNA. There are approximately fifty different forms of chemotherapy that can be intermixed to provide the most efficient treatment of the cancer cells. They can receive chemotherapy medication orall y or through an IV. If an IV is used, the patients are physically stuck with a needleRead MoreSymptoms And Treatment Of Patients With Colon Cancer1510 Words   |  7 PagesInterventional Therapy Nearly one-third of patients diagnosed with colon cancer have metastatic disease (disease that has spread to other parts of the body) (Colon Cancer Alliance 2015a). The most common site of spread is the liver (Colon Cancer Alliance 2015a). Patients with rectal cancer may also have metastatic disease that has spread to the liver. Ablation and embolization are interventional therapies directed at the liver to destroy cancer cells. Ablation This technique destroys tumors withoutRead MoreRadiation Therapy As A Treatment For Cancer1173 Words   |  5 Pages5 million people will be diagnosed with cancer in the United States (Pickle et al., 2007). More than half of these cancer patients will undergo the use of radiation as a means for treating cancer at some point during the course of their disease (Perez and Brady, 1998). Cancer, a disease caused by an uncontrollable growth of abnormal cells, affects millions of people around the world. Radiotherapy is one of the well known various methods used to treat cancer, where high powered rays are aimed directly