WHAT IS RADIOTHERAPY?
The basic principle of radiotherapy or radiation therapy is to bombard a cancer with rays of doses which damage or destroy the cancer, yet produce only minimum damage to surrounding normal tissues.
Radiation can be used as a primary method of treatment for a number of cancers or in combination with other methods. It can also be used to reduce the size of a tumour before surgery, to prolong life or make the patient more comfortable by relieving pain, healing ulcerations and diminishing persistent bleeding.
Depending on where the radiation therapy is directed, some patients may develop side effects such as:
Medications and special diets are available to control these symptoms and most symptoms disappear when treatment is completed. The radiation oncologist will give instructions to the patient about how to minimize such side effects.
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