When might radiation therapy be useful?
Radiation therapy includes of external beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy or internal radiation therapy.
Radiation therapy consists high-energy rays (such as x-rays) or particles to kill cancer cells.Radiation therapy is a an alternate therapy to chemotherapy which includes less side effects.
Depending on the level of the non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and other factors, radiation therapy might be used:
As the principle treatment, especially if the lung tumor can’t be eliminated because of its magnitude and area, if a person isn’t healthy enough for surgery. After surgery to try to kill any small areas of cancer that surgery might have failed.
Prior to surgery along with chemotherapy to try to diminish a lung tumor to make it easier to operate on.
To treat a momo area of cancer spread, such as a cancer cells present in the brain or an adrenal gland.
To relieve symptoms of improved NSCLC such as pain, bleeding, trouble swallowing, cough, or problems caused by spread to other parts such as the brain. For example, brachytherapy is most frequently used to support relieve blockage of large cancer tissues.
There are two types of radiation therapy:
External beam radiation therapy
Brachytherapy (internal radiation therapy)
External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) is directed to the cancer cells, radiation from outside the body on the cancer. This is the type of radiation therapy most frequently used to treat NSCLC or its invade to other organs.
Prior to when treatment starts, the radiation team will take careful steps to calculate the exact angles for aiming the radiation beams and the proper quantity of radiation and the radiation therapy is implimented. the external beam is effective like chemotherapy with less side effects. Treatment is much like similar to getting an x-ray, but the radiation dose is stronger and effective. The therapy itself is painless. Each treatment takes only a few minutes.
Brachytherapy (internal radiation therapy)
Brachytherapy is a part of radiation therapy.
Brachytherapy is sometimes used to destroy tumors in the airway to relieve symptoms.For this type of treatment, the physician places a small source of radioactive material (often in the structure of mini pellets) directly into the cancer or into the airway next to the tumor. This is mostly done through a bronchoscope, but it may also be done during surgery. The radiation travels only a little distance from the source, limiting the results on surrounding healthy tissues. The radiation source is removed after a short time. Less often, small radioactive particles are left in place permanently, and the radiation gets weaker over several weeks. this radiation therapy is top of the line which stands to be the best therapy.