What is radiation therapy vs chemotherapy?

Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are both treatments for cancer – the uncontrolled growth and spread of cells to surrounding tissues. Chemotherapy, or “chemo,” uses special drugs to shrink or kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy, or “radiation,” kills these cells with high-energy beams such as X-rays or protons.

Why is chemotherapy and radiotherapy used together?

Chemotherapy uses anti-cancer (cytotoxic) drugs to destroy cancer cells. Radiotherapy uses high-energy rays to destroy cancer cells. The chemotherapy drugs can make cancer cells more sensitive to radiotherapy. Combining both treatments is often more effective than having either treatment on its own.

What is the meaning of radiotherapy treatment?

Radiation therapy (also called radiotherapy) is a cancer treatment that uses high doses of radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. At low doses, radiation is used in x-rays to see inside your body, as with x-rays of your teeth or broken bones.

What comes first radiotherapy or chemotherapy?

In the standard treatment sequence, radiation therapy doesn’t start until the chemotherapy regimen is done. The traditional external beam radiation therapy treatment schedule usually requires daily trips to the hospital or cancer center — usually 5 days a week for 4 to 6 weeks.

Is radiation treatment worse than chemo?

Radiation therapy involves giving high doses of radiation beams directly into a tumor. The radiation beams change the DNA makeup of the tumor, causing it to shrink or die. This type of cancer treatment has fewer side effects than chemotherapy since it only targets one area of the body.

What are the side effects of radiotherapy?

Ask your care team about the side effects you might get.

• Sore skin. In some people, radiotherapy can make the skin sore and red (similar to sunburn), darker than normal or dry and itchy.
• Tiredness.
• Hair loss.
• Feeling sick.
• Problems eating and drinking.
• Diarrhoea.
• Stiff joints and muscles.
• Sex and fertility issues.

What is bad about radiation therapy?

The most common early side effects are fatigue (feeling tired) and skin changes. Other early side effects usually are related to the area being treated, such as hair loss and mouth problems when radiation treatment is given to this area. Late side effects can take months or even years to develop.

How is radiation therapy used to treat gynecologic cancer?

Radiation therapy is an essential component in Gynecology in the primary nonsurgical management and the adjuvant postoperative treatment of selected malignancies arising in the female reproductive tract. Gynecologic cancers were among the first malignancies treated with ionizing radiation, more than a century ago.

How does radiotherapy in gynaecology affect normal tissue?

RADIOTHERAPY IN GYNAECOLOGY Effects of Radiation on Normal Tissue Effect of radiation on normal tissue depends upon many factors :- 1. Radiation dose, the target organ, volume of tissue irradiated and division rate of irradiated cells. 2.

How are chemotherapy and radiation used to treat cancer?

For some types of cancer, radiation and chemotherapy or other types of anti-cancer drugs might be used together. Certain drugs (called radiosensitizers) help radiation work better by making cancer cells more sensitive to radiation.

How is radiation therapy used to treat ovarian cancer?

Although adjuvant radiotherapy is commonly used to manage advanced or metastatic cervical and endometrial cancer, it is sometimes administered as adjuvant therapy for ovarian cancer. Radiation therapy may also be used for hormonal ablation.