Radiotherapy

Like chemotherapy and surgery, radiation therapy is a powerful treatment for cancer. The treatment uses high-energy radiation to shrink tumours, destroy cancer cells and stop their growth.

During treatment, healthy cells around the cancer are often damaged. But the good news is that healthy cells usually recover over time. Depending on the stage of cancer, your radiation oncologist will recommend the most appropriate treatments. You can consult a Radiation oncologist in Kolkata to understand which treatment suits your condition best.

What is radiotherapy?

Radiotherapy, commonly known as radiation therapy, is used to kill cancer cells without harming nearby healthy tissue. In most cancer cases, radiation therapy is used as a powerful treatment. It uses high-energy radiation (usually high-powered X-rays) to target cancer cells. 

Radiotherapy can be given alone or in combination with surgery or chemotherapy, depending on the stage of cancer, location, the patient's age and overall health. The primary purpose of this treatment is to target cancerous cells, but some healthy cells may also be damaged. Over time, these healthy cells recover.

There are two primary forms of radiotherapy: external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and internal radiation therapy. Both types help to sink or destroy a cancer cell's DNA. Not only this, but these also stop them from growing and multiplying.

External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT)

This is the most common type of radiotherapy often used for cancer treatment. In which a machine directs high-energy rays at the tumour from outside the body. It is a painless procedure and is done in multiple sessions.

Advanced techniques within EBRT include:

  • 3D Conformal Radiation Therapy: It uses imaging to target the tumour precisely. It has minimal exposure to healthy tissue.
  • Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT): Adjusts the intensity of radiation beams, allowing higher doses to the tumour while sparing surrounding healthy tissue.
  • Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT): Incorporates imaging during treatment to enhance accuracy.
  • Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS): Delivers a high dose of radiation in a single or few sessions, often used for brain tumours.

Internal Radiation Therapy (Brachytherapy)

  • Brachytherapy places radioactive material inside or near the tumour.
  • This allows a higher dose of radiation to be delivered to a small area. This reduces the exposure to nearby healthy tissue. 
  • It is commonly used for prostate, cervical, and breast cancers.

FAQs

Radiotherapy itself is painless, but some people may feel mild discomfort or skin irritation in the treated area afterwards.

Our Clinical Experts

Do You Have Any Query

Please fill out the form & our representative will contact you within 24hrs.

get a call back

CMRI Health Blogs

NavBook Appt.WhatsappWhatsappCall Now