Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy is commonly used to treat cancer patients. It is a successful cure or palliative treatment in most caners. Radiation works by altering the DNA structure of the cells. The DNA is actually damaged by a specific type of radiation. The damage may be caused by a photon, electron, proton, neutron or ion beam. The point is to damage the DNA of the tumorous cells to force them to repair themselves. This works because the cells in the tumor are less defined, or more like stem cells, than the cells of healthy tissue. DNA is reproduced each time a cell divides, so when the DNA of cancerous cells are damaged, the cells tend to die rather than reproduce. Thus, the tumor shrinks, or divides more slowly.

Each different type of radiation acts differently. Proton therapy is the use of positively charged atoms. Like an x-ray, it can be used on both malignant and benign tumors. Brachytherapy uses ionizing radiation. This type of therapy is internal and uses a small implant that is radioactive. The implant is placed in the tumor, allowing the radiation to work on the affected area only. Photon therapy uses electromagnetic radiation. The photon is a "force carrier" for the electromagnetic charge. Electron therapy uses a negative charged particle to affect the tumor. Like many forms of radiation, it is delivered with an external beam. Neutron therapy uses an uncharged particle to interact with the tumor. These particles will bond with the free radicals in the body.

The different types of radiations are designed to treat different types of tumors. The success of the treatment may vary from patient to patient. One thing is clear; historically, radiation treatments do increase life expectancy.