Radiation Therapy

A treatment which uses high-energy beams of radiation which are focused on cancerous tissue. It works within cancer cells by damaging their ability to multiply. When these cells die, the body naturally eliminates them.

Healthy cells are also affected by radiation, but they are able to repair themselves in a way cancer cells cannot.

Radiation delivered at the targeted tumour

When Is Radiation Therapy Used? 

Both small-cell (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) are frequently treated with radiation therapy, which is often combined with chemotherapy, surgery or both. More than half of those diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer will receive radiation therapy at some time during their treatment. Depending upon the type and stage of ones lung cancer, radiation therapy may be used:

• After surgery – To treat any cancer cells that might remain in the area after surgery

• Before surgery – To decrease the size of a tumour and make surgery more effective

• To cure cancer – With small tumours, and in patients that are unable to have surgery due to age, location of a tumour or other medical conditions, radiation therapy can sometimes offer the chance for a cure.

• To treat lung cancer – Both locally, such as nearby lymph nodes, and to other parts of the body, such as the brain

• To treat symptoms – When a tumour is causing symptoms such as shortness of breath and pain, sometimes radiation therapy is used to reduce tumour size to decrease symptoms.

• For prevention – In small-cell lung cancer(SCLC), radiation therapy to the brain is sometimes given to kill any cells that have spread to the brain but are not detected by scans. This is called Prophylactic Cranial Irradiation (PCI)

Types of radiation therapy

• External beam radiation therapy

          This is used most commonly and involves the use of an external machine, which  

          delivers high-dose radiation. The most common forms of external therapy are:

             - Conventional (two-dimensional) radiation therapy

          - 3D conformal radiation therapy – This therapy expands on conventional 
            therapy by using computed tomography (CT)-guided therapy to look at the 
            tumour in three dimensions. The goal is to direct the radiation more 
            specifically to the tumour and spare surrounding tissues.

          - Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMTR) – This therapy provides a 
            higher dose of radiation from different angles.

          - Stereotactic radiation therapy

• Internal radiation (brachytherapy)

        With brachytherapy, a thin plastic tube is inserted during bronchoscopy. A small 

        amount of radioactive material is then passed through the tube, allowing treatment 

        to be delivered to a precise area. The tube is removed after treatment.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Stops cancer from spreading to another organ.
• Reducing symptoms such as pain and difficulties breathing or swallowing.
  

Cons:

• Skin irritation, including redness and peeling
• Fatigue
• Pain or difficulty with swallowing

Reference:

• http://lungcancer.about.com/od/treatmentoflungcancer/a/radtherapy.htm
• http://cancer.wehealny.org/radonc/treatment/disease/lung_cancer.htm

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