How long does it take to recover from radiation treatment?
The general effects of radiation therapy like fatigue, nausea, and headaches resolve fairly quickly after treatment. Your body just needs time to process the radiation but can recover within a few weeks. Delayed side effects of radiation therapy, on the other hand, may require further treatment to alleviate.
How is radiation therapy used to treat cancer?
- Before surgery (to reduce the size of a tumor/usually combined with chemotherapy)
- After surgery (to clean up any cancer cells that may remain after surgery/usually combined with chemotherapy)
- As a primary treatment (with or without chemotherapy) to slow the growth of a tumor
- To treat metastases
Does radiation treat cancer or cause cancer?
When your cells divide they replicate your DNA to do that and radiation can cause errors in the process. For this reason, radiation can both cure and cause cancer. Radiation therapy can happen externally through beams in a localized area or sometimes they target the cancer cells and inject it in you with a catheter.
What are the effects of radiation on cancer?
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When did chemo and radiation start?
The era of cancer chemotherapy began in the 1940s with the first use of nitrogen mustards and folic acid antagonist drugs. The targeted therapy revolution has arrived, but many of the principles and limitations of chemotherapy discovered by the early researchers still apply.
When did radiation become cancer?
It was the observation of the earliest radiologists that led to the recognition of radiation-induced skin cancer—the first solid cancer linked to radiation—in 1902.
When was radiation therapy made?
Radiotherapy has its origins in the aftermath of the discovery of x-rays in 1895 and of radioactivity in 1896. Through scientific discoveries, trial and error, and technology advances, standardised approaches in external beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy were developed.
What is the most common cancer caused by radiation?
Leukemia and most solid cancers have been linked with radiation. Most solid cancer data are reasonably well described by linear-dose response functions although there may be a downturn in risks at very high doses.
Is radiation worth the risk?
Benefits and Effectiveness. Radiation therapy (also called radiotherapy) is a highly effective cancer treatment with wide-ranging uses. Radiation therapy leads to cancer cure in many patients (either alone or with other treatments) and relieves symptoms or prolongs survival in more advanced cancers.
Is radiation better than chemo?
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 was radiation therapy first used for?
The first attempted x-ray treatment was by Victor Despeignes, a French physician who used them on a patient with stomach cancer. In 1896, he published a paper with the results: a week-long treatment was followed by a diminution of pain and reduction in the size of the tumor, though the case was ultimately fatal.
What is the success rate of radiation therapy?
“In fact, based on the literature reviewed, it appears that external-beam radiation therapy is a superior treatment in some cases. “When patients are treated with modern external-beam radiation therapy, the overall cure rate was 93.3% with a metastasis-free survival rate at 5 years of 96.9%.
When was radiation first used?
The history of radiation therapy or radiotherapy can be traced back to experiments made soon after the discovery of X-rays (1895) , when it was shown that exposure to radiation produced cutaneous burns. Influenced by electrotherapy and escharotics — the medical application of caustic substances — doctors began using radiation to treat growths and lesions produced by diseases such as lupus, basal cell carcinoma, and epithelioma. Radiation was generally believed to have bactericidal properties, so when radium was discovered, in addition to treatments similar to those used with x-rays, it was also used as an additive to medical treatments for diseases such as tuberculosis where there were resistant bacilli.
Why did doctors use radiation?
Influenced by electrotherapy and escharotics — the medical application of caustic substances — doctors began using radiation to treat growths and lesions produced by diseases such as lupus, basal cell carcinoma, and epithelioma.
Why is radium used in bath salts?
The radium commonly used in bath salts, waters, and muds was in low-grade preparations, due to the expense, and their usefulness in curative solutions was questioned, since it had been agreed upon by physicians that radium could only be used successfully in high doses. It was believed that even radiation emanation at higher doses than were useful would cause no harm, because the radioactive deposits were found to have been absorbed and released in urine and waste within a period of three hours.
What is radium used for?
Radiation was generally believed to have bactericidal properties, so when radium was discovered, in addition to treatments similar to those used with x-rays, it was also used as an additive to medical treatments for diseases such as tuberculosis where there were resistant bacilli.
When was radium first discovered?
Soon after the discovery of radium in 1898 by Pierre and Marie Curie, there was speculation in whether the radiation could be used for therapy in the same way as that from x-rays. The physiological effect of radium was first observed in 1900 by Otto Walkhoff, and later confirmed by what famously known as the "Becquerel burn". In 1901, Henri Becquerel had placed a tube of radium in a waistcoat pocket where it had remained for several hours; a week or two after which there was severe inflammation of his skin underneath where the radium had been kept. Ernest Besnier, a dermatologist, examined the skin and expressed the opinion that it was due to the radium, leading to experiments by Curie which confirmed it. Besnier suggested the use of radium for therapy along the same purposes as x-rays and ultraviolet rays.
What was the first successful treatment for lupus vulgaris?
Freund's first experiment was a tragic failure; he applied x-rays to a naevus in order to induce epilation and a deep ulcer resulted, which resisted further treatment by radiation. The first successful treatment was by Schiff, working with Freund, in a case of lupus vulgaris.
What did scientists discover about radiation?
During early practical work and scientific investigation, experimenters noticed that prolonged exposure to x-rays created inflammation and, more rarely, tissue damage on the skin.
Who used X-rays to treat breast cancer?
Also before understanding the physical properties of X-rays and their biological effects, one year later their discovery, X-rays were used by Emil Herman Grubbe to treat a patient with breast cancer [3].
When was X-rays first used?
The scenario rapidly changed after the discovery of X-rays in 1895 by Wilhelm Conrad Rцntgen [2].
How does radiation affect the body?
Even if the interaction radiations-tissue produces numerous effects (Table 1), radiotherapy mainly acts by killing the tumoral cells and halting their ability to reproduce [19]. Those events can be the result of the direct damage of DNA or other important cellular molecules (most commonly described in the case of particulate radiations, such as alpha particles, protons or electrons), or of an indirect cellular damage which occurs after the productions of free radicals (e.g. X-rays or Gamma-rays).
What is RT in medical terms?
Radiotherapy (RT), also known as radiation therapy, is a treatment modality based on the use of high energy rays or radioactive substances, to damage tumoral cells and to halt their growth and division.
Why are X-rays used in medicine?
By the first years of the new century, an increased number of studies reported the use of X-rays and radium in medicine. Skin cancers were the most frequent treated, even because of the low penetration in the tissue of radiations. In the 1910s, Coolidge developed a new device able to emit higher energy X-rays, to treat deeper cancers [5].
Why is RT important?
It is estimated that about two-third of all cancer patients will receive RT as unique treatment or as a part of the more complex therapeutic protocol.
When was the ionising chamber invented?
Not less important was the introduction of an ionising chamber in 1932, which made physicians able to measure the radiation dose delivered to the first dose unit (Rцntgen unit) [9].
How much radiation is used for cancer?
The amount of radiation used in photon radiation therapy is measured in grays (Gy), and varies depending on the type and stage of cancer being treated. For curative cases, the typical dose for a solid epithelial tumor ranges from 60 to 80 Gy, while lymphomas are treated with 20 to 40 Gy.
What is radiation oncology?
Radiation oncology is the medical specialty concerned with prescribing radiation, and is distinct from radiology, the use of radiation in medical imaging and diagnosis. Radiation may be prescribed by a radiation oncologist with intent to cure ("curative") or for adjuvant therapy.
What is the subspecialty of oncology concerned with radiation therapy?
The subspecialty of oncology concerned with radiotherapy is called radiation oncologist . Radiation therapy is commonly applied to the cancerous tumor because of its ability to control cell growth. Ionizing radiation works by damaging the DNA of cancerous tissue leading to cellular death.
How does radiation therapy work?
Radiation therapy works by damaging the DNA of cancerous cells. This DNA damage is caused by one of two types of energy, photon or charged particle. This damage is either direct or indirect ionization of the atoms which make up the DNA chain. Indirect ionization happens as a result of the ionization of water, forming free radicals, notably hydroxyl radicals, which then damage the DNA.
How much radiation does hair loss occur?
Epilation (hair loss) may occur on any hair bearing skin with doses above 1 Gy. It only occurs within the radiation field/s. Hair loss may be permanent with a single dose of 10 Gy, but if the dose is fractionated permanent hair loss may not occur until dose exceeds 45 Gy.
What is RTX radiation?
Radiation therapy or radiotherapy, often abbreviated RT, RTx, or XRT, is a therapy using ionizing radiation, generally provided as part of cancer treatment to control or kill malignant cells and normally delivered by a linear accelerator.
How does radiation affect epithelial cells?
Depending on the area being treated, this may include the skin, oral mucosa, pharyngeal, bowel mucosa and ureter. The rates of onset of damage and recovery from it depend upon the turnover rate of epithelial cells. Typically the skin starts to become pink and sore several weeks into treatment. The reaction may become more severe during the treatment and for up to about one week following the end of radiation therapy, and the skin may break down. Although this moist desquamation is uncomfortable, recovery is usually quick. Skin reactions tend to be worse in areas where there are natural folds in the skin, such as underneath the female breast, behind the ear, and in the groin.
What type of cancer needs to be treated right away?
You have a type of cancer that needs to be treated right away, like some leukemias, lymphomas, and certain other cancers that tend to be aggressive (grow and spread very fast). You have a tumor that's pressing on an organ or other vital part of the body, and treatment is needed to relieve the pressure.
Does cancer need to be started right away?
Does cancer treatment always need to be started right away? Sometimes, it's important to start treatment as quickly as possible, but that's not always the case. Planning cancer treatment can be complex and might take some time, depending on the type and stage of your cancer.
Overview
Commercialization, quackery, and the end of an era (1915–1935)
Widespread commercial exploitation of radium only began in 1913, by which time more efficient methods of extracting radium from pitchblende had been discovered and the mining of radium had taken off.
The radium commonly used in bath salts, waters, and muds was in low-grade preparations, due to the expense, and their usefulness in curative solutions wa…
Early development of radiotherapy (1895–1905)
The imaging properties of x-rays were discovered, their practical uses for research and diagnostics were immediately apparent, and soon their use spread in the medical field. X-rays were used to diagnose bone fractures, heart disease, and phthisis. Inventive procedures for different diagnostic purposes were created, such as filling digestive cavities with bismuth, which allowed them to be seen through tissue and bone.
Further development and the use of radium (1905–1915)
Because of the excitement over the new treatment, literature about the therapeutic effects of x-rays often exaggerated the propensity to cure different diseases. Reports of the fact that in some cases treatment worsened some of the patients' conditions were ignored in favor of hopeful optimism. Henry G. Piffard referred to these practitioners as "radiomaniacs" and "radiografters". It …
Radiation therapy today (1935–)
"Radiation therapy" defined as the utilization of electromagnetic or particle radiation in medical therapy has 3 main branches, including external beam radiation therapy(teletherapy), locoregional ablative therapy (such as brachytherapy (sealed source radiation therapy), selective internal radiotherapy (SIRT), radiofrequency ablation, microwave ablation, and optical therapy), and systemic therapy (i.e. radiopharmaceutical therapy, such as radioligand therapy and unsealed so…
Notes
1. ^ Pusey 1900, p. 302
2. ^ Kassabian 1907, p. 501
3. ^ Coe 1912, p. 302
4. ^ Singer 1914, p. xxv
5. ^ Mould 1993
Overview
Radiation therapy or radiotherapy, often abbreviated RT, RTx, or XRT, is a therapy using ionizing radiation, generally provided as part of cancer treatment to control or kill malignant cells and normally delivered by a linear accelerator. Radiation therapy may be curative in a number of types of cancer if they are localized to one area of the body. It may also be used as part of adjuvant therapy, …
History
Medicine has used radiation therapy as a treatment for cancer for more than 100 years, with its earliest roots traced from the discovery of X-rays in 1895 by Wilhelm Röntgen. Emil Grubbe of Chicago was possibly the first American physician to use X-rays to treat cancer, beginning in 1896.
The field of radiation therapy began to grow in the early 1900s largely due to t…
Medical uses
Different cancers respond to radiation therapy in different ways.
The response of a cancer to radiation is described by its radiosensitivity. Highly radiosensitive cancer cells are rapidly killed by modest doses of radiation. These include leukemias, most lymphomas and germ cell tumors. The majority of epithelial cancers are only moderately radiosensitive, and require a significantl…
Side effects
Radiation therapy is in itself painless. Many low-dose palliative treatments (for example, radiation therapy to bony metastases) cause minimal or no side effects, although short-term pain flare-up can be experienced in the days following treatment due to oedema compressing nerves in the treated area. Higher doses can cause varying side effects during treatment (acute side effe…
Use in non-cancerous diseases
Radiation therapy is used to treat early stage Dupuytren's disease and Ledderhose disease. When Dupuytren's disease is at the nodules and cords stage or fingers are at a minimal deformation stage of less than 10 degrees, then radiation therapy is used to prevent further progress of the disease. Radiation therapy is also used post surgery in some cases to prevent the disea…
Technique
Radiation therapy works by damaging the DNA of cancerous cells. This DNA damage is caused by one of two types of energy, photon or charged particle. This damage is either direct or indirect ionization of the atoms which make up the DNA chain. Indirect ionization happens as a result of the ionization of water, forming free radicals, notably hydroxyl radicals, which then damage the DNA.
In photon therapy, most of the radiation effect is through free radicals. Cells have mechanisms f…
Types
Historically, the three main divisions of radiation therapy are :
• external beam radiation therapy (EBRT or XRT) or teletherapy;
• brachytherapy or sealed source radiation therapy; and
• systemic radioisotope therapy or unsealed source radiotherapy.
See also
• Beam spoiler
• Cancer and nausea
• Fast neutron therapy
• Neutron capture therapy of cancer
• Particle beam