The Pros And Cons Of Radiation Therapy

1581 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: radiation therapy quizlet

Radiation therapy is a growing field that has not been around very long. This field works with patients that have many different types of cancer ranging from leukemia, lung cancer, prostate cancer, cervical cancer, and brain cancer among others. Cancer can be effectively treated using surgical, chemical and radiation treatment or a combination of the three. Many advantages and disadvantages have emerged when considering the use of radiation therapy and these pros and cons should be discussed thoroughly between the Oncologist and patient before a decision has been made on a course of action. Special licensing is required to enter this specialized field of radiation therapy and can be obtained through special programs.
There are many different …show more content…

According to the American Cancer Society, many side effects to radiation therapy occur because normal, healthy cells near the treatment area may become damaged. Temporary side effects may include fatigue, skin changes, hair loss, low blood counts, and eating problems. Longer-term disadvantages to radiation therapy consist of potential damage to the tissue, glands and organs near the vicinity of the tumor, the incapacity to destroy tumor cells that remain undetected on imaging scans, the inability to destroy all cancerous cells in the tumor, infertility, scar tissue growth and more. Unfortunately, when radiation therapy is solely used on particular types of cancers, it may not be entirely successful. This rings true especially for specific cancers that have …show more content…

Radiation Oncologist Dr. Peter Rossi who specializes in prostate cancer treatment wrote about some of the advantages of radiation therapy. These advantages encompass the death of a profound volume of cancerous cells, eradication of microscopic disease at the perimeter of the tumor, the capability to shrink tumors, cooperative interaction with systemic therapy, preservation of one’s organs, the stimulation of an immune response against the tumor, and a relatively safe and painless treatment for the patient

Show More
Related

  • Treatment of Glioblastoma Multiforme (GMB)

    579 Words  | 2 Pages

    The current standard of therapy is resection of the tumor plus radiotherapy and TMZ (E5). Multiple studies performed between 1976 and 1991 have led postoperative radiotherapy to be accepted as standard treatment (L12). The universal dosing schedule for radiotherapy in GBM is fractionated irradiation over 6-7 weeks for a total of 60 gray (Gy) (G7,M13). TMZ is an oral alkylating agent that can be used concomitant with radiotherapy and as an adjuvant. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) and the National Cancer Institute of Canada (NCIC) organized a study showing that adding TMZ to standard radiotherapy is beneficial to overall survival. This study enrolled 573 patients from 85 institutions and randomly assigned eligible patients to receive either standard radiotherapy alone or radiotherapy plus concomitant and adjuvant TMZ. There was a 37% decrease in relative risk of death and a median increase in survival of 2.5 months in patients treated with TMZ and radiotherapy when compared to radiotherapy alone (P<0.001). There are adverse effects with both RT and chemotherapy, but hematologic toxicities are more likely to occur in patients treated with both TMZ and RT (M13). This study maintained its validity after accounting for recursive partitioning analysis classifications (L12). The current standard dose of TMZ is 75 mg per square meter of body surface area daily during radiotherapy and then a dose of 150-200 mg per square meter of body surface area for 5 days of each 28-day cycle following RT (G7,M13).

    Read More

  • Biology Summative: Telomeres, Telomerase, and Cancer

    766 Words  | 2 Pages

    13. Frey, Rebecca J. "Radiation therapy." The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. Ed. Laurie J. Fundukian. 4th ed. Detroit: Gale, 2011. Science in Context. Web. 24 May 2014.

    Read More

  • Is Lung Cancer Operable? : Lung Cancer Treatment Options

    548 Words  | 2 Pages

    2. External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT) which is usually offered when the lung cancer is either considered to be primary, or when it has metastasized (spread to other organs). This form of treatment uses a linear accelerator machine to focus a precise beam of radiation on a given area of the body for a precise period of time to kill off cancerous cells.

    Read More

  • Overview of Stereotactic Radiotherapy

    1469 Words  | 3 Pages

    At this day in age we are constantly trying to improve the field of medicine in any way that we possibly can. We cherish every birthday and continually try to prolong life. Not only through every field of medicine, especially in terms of cancer. The American Cancer Society is “the official sponsor of birthdays” and is making leaps and bounds in the types of care that cancer patients receive. One of these many breakthroughs is the practice of Stereotactic (Body) Radiotherapy or S(B)RT. SBRT and other radiation therapies have the ability to greatly improve the way that we treat the issue of cancer and the variation of treatment options; however, they have raised the concerns of long term effects from radiation and cost-effectiveness. As research has begun to show, radiation therapies are having great success in curing cancer.

    Read More

  • Hypnotherapy: Adoptive Cellular Therapy

    773 Words  | 2 Pages

    Chemotherapy is a method given in which patients are given drugs to kill of cancerous cells. Radiation is another method in which a patient’s body is exposed to high-energy beams to kill cancerous cells. In the study to find an immunotherapy strategy for leukemia, researchers have found that the treatment of leukemia by chemotherapy has achieved success however the issue of minimal residual disease and drug resistance has not been resolved among hematologists. Minimal residual disease is when a small amount of cancer cells remain in the patient during or after treatment when there is no sign of disease. MRD is the major cause of relapse in cancer and leukemia. According to the study, “a high relapse rate due to MRD remains the leading cause of treatment failure and the main cause or mortality.” (Chen et

    Read More

  • Radiation versus Chemotherapy in the Elderly with Breast Cancer

    1120 Words  | 3 Pages

    Susan G. Komen for the Cure, (2009). Radiation Therapy and Side Effects. Susan G. Koman for the Cure. Retrieved from:

    Read More

  • Proton Therapy for Tumors

    1929 Words  | 4 Pages

    Cancer is the form of disease, when abnormal cells divide uncontrolledly and invade other tissues. Cancer is not one type of disease because there are more than 100 types of the cancer spread in the world ( National Cancer Institute 2013). Every third person in the world has a cancer. Based on statistics, in the USA in 2013 the cancer was a cause of death for 580,350 people ( The American Cancer Society 2013). The aim of this project is to evaluate all aspects of proton therapy. It will be argued that proton therapy is the most effective treatment for cancer conventional treatments. The most established types of cancer treatment such as chemical therapy or chemotherapy and surgery will be discussed. The proton therapy as a contemporary type of radiation oncology, which is used in only a few countries, will be analyzed as a possible replacement. In this essay advantages of proton beam therapy such as cosmetic purity of a skin, efficiency and radiation will be discussув. Furthermore, in this paper will be evaluated the cost and risk of death, which can be reached by unprecise planning, of the proton beam therapy. Additionally, will be surveyed the results of the proton therapy such as treatment for earlier incurable types of cancer and possible discussed about future improvements.

    Read More

  • Ewing Sarcoma Diagnosis

    1769 Words  | 4 Pages

    When receiving radiation therapy high-energy beams are pointed in the location of the tumor (s). This treatment method can be used instead of surgery or coupled with surgery depending on the complexity of removing the cancerous tumor. When receiving this form of treatment, it is in most cases given about 5 days on average a week for a certain number of weeks. With each treatment of radiation, the patient will be gradually receiving a higher dose of high-energy beams then in the previous radiation therapy session. Radiation therapy itself only takes a couple minutes but getting the radiation machine and the patient in place for treatment may take a much longer amount of time then the actual treatment. With any type of cancer treatment there are going to be some side effects. Some short-term side effects are patches on the skin that look like sun burn and hair loss also in the area where the radiation was aimed. Long-term effects are organ function depending on where the treatment was given and in some cases nerve damage and can also cause headaches and trouble thinking. A major concern with this form of Ewing tumor treatment is the fact that a new form of cancer can develop in the area where the patient had once received radiation

    Read More

  • Radiation Therapy Essay

    719 Words  | 2 Pages

    Radiation therapy is a complex treatment plan to treat cancer in patients. Its treatment can be used alone or in conjunction with surgery or chemotherapy. Radiation therapy is delivered by a team of individuals who specialize in the treatment of cancer. There are several ways in which the radiation can be delivered to the patient with specialized equipment. Radiation therapy is an exciting field of study that can be beneficial to patients who are affected by cancer.

    Read More

  • Understanding Radiation Therapy, Its Safety and Development

    1530 Words  | 4 Pages

    Radiation therapy is the utilization of radiation in order to treat diseases like cancer as well as to detect other ailments that someone may have. Since the development of radiation therapy many advancements have been made both to the process of using radiation itself, which in turn increased its effectiveness for medical use, and to the study of other possible uses for radiation. The concepts behind radiation therapy are not overly complicated, but they are still revolutionary ideas that have greatly impacted society and people’s wellness.

    Read More

  • Prostate Cancer

    1121 Words  | 3 Pages

    Surgical castration is the most cost-effective treatment for prostate cancer, but it is not the choice of many. A new method is to target a beam of high-intensity ultrasound at the prostate. This may destroy cancer cells, and have few side effects. However, there have only been preliminary studies, so evidence is not conclusive. Another method being tested is implanting radioactive seeds into the prostate. This method is called brachytherapy, in which pellets smaller then grains of rice are inserted into the prostate. Preliminary studies show much success, and it is believed that this method can be better then surgery.

    Read More

  • Brain Cancer: Different Causes And Treatments Of Brain Cancer

    632 Words  | 2 Pages

    According to SEER Statistics, 23,380 people are estimated to get a brain or nervous system cancer diagnosis. Out of those people, 14,320 people are estimated to die from their brain or nervous system cancer diagnosis (National Cancer Institute). Cancer is a type of dangerous tumor, or a buildup of extra cells that form a mass of tissue, that can be life threatening (National Cancer Institute). The term for a tumor that is cancerous is a malignat tumor, whereas a benign tumor does not contain cancer cells (National Cancer Institute). According to the National Cancer Institute, the causes of brain cancer are unknown, but risk factors include family history and excessive radiaton exposure. Although they are not always due to a brain tumor, comon symptoms include headaches, nausea, speech, hearing, vision, and mood changes, problems with balance and mamories, seizures, and numbness in arms and legs (National Cancer Institute). MRI and CT scans as well as surgical biposies (or the removal of part of the tumor to be examined) are used to diagnose brain cancer (National Cancer Institute). Different types of treatment options include radiation therapy, surgery to remove the tumor, and chemotherapy. According to Charles Davis, MD, PhD and Nitin Tandon, MD of WebMD.com, chemotherapy is “ the use of powerful drugs to kill tumor cells”. There are a few different types of chemotherapy, but all of which bring out the same kinds of side effects. Although the physical side effects of chemotherapy are commonly known, few people know of the emotional toll chemotherapy can take on a patient and his or her family as they go though this process.

    Read More

  • Radiation Therapy

    1041 Words  | 3 Pages

    Radiation therapists work closely with patients to fight cancer. According to Health Care Careers, Oncologists, Dosimetrists and nurses are some of the professionals that a radiation therapist works with while caring for a cancer patient. This group of professionals will determine a specialized treatment plan. The first step usually includes a CT scan performed by a radiologist to find the exact area that needs to be targeted with x-rays. Next, the therapist uses a special machine that emits radiation called a Linear Accelerator. They use this machine during a treatment called external beam therapy. During this process, the Linear Accelerator will project x-rays at targeted cancer cells or tumors. Another therapist will be in a different room monitoring the patient’s viral signs until the procedure is over. The external therapy l...

    Read More

  • Essay On Radiation Therapist

    570 Words  | 2 Pages

    Ever since the eighth grade I have been passionate about becoming a radiation therapist. I credit this to a project in which I was required to research two professions in preparation for acceptance into a university. For this project, radiation therapy was suggested to me by a family friend whom was also the administrative director of a cancer center in Miami, Florida. Radiation therapy offers me an opportunity to help individuals who are at one of the most vulnerable and toughest periods of their life. In doing so I am able to be part of a lifesaving team which is very gratifying. Additionally, radiation therapy is a very technically demanding field that combines physics and medicine; two categories of which I am very interested in. In order to learn more about radiation therapy, I began volunteering while in high school at the C. Gordon Griffith Cancer Center at North Shore Medical Center in Miami, Florida. While there, I was able to shadow the dosimetrist as she planned treatments as well as see those treatments in action while shadowing the radiation therapists. When I started attending college at the University of South Florida, I became a volunteer at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer

    Read More

  • Chemotherapy Argumentative Paper

    1231 Words  | 3 Pages

    Not all cancer survivors will experience late and long-term effects. Some may appear soon after treatment or up to years after treatment ends. In most cases, the earlier these late effects are identified, the easier they are to treat. Late effects vary from one cancer survivor to the next. They can range from very mild to serious. Some effects might improve or go away with time such as anemia. Others might be permanent such as certain types of nerve damage. The effects of surgery depend on the area of the body (or site) where the surgery is performed. Risks have been lessened by new and improved surgical methods but late effects may still occur. A tumor may affect healthy tissue as it grows if it damages or kills normal cells. Damage can also occur if the healthy tissue around a tumor is removed during surgery. This might be done to make certain that all of the cancer cells are removed and thus may be necessary for appropriate cancer treatment. Some of the lasting effects chemotherapy leaves on the individual include loss of appetite, diarrhea, constipation, bladder issues, bleeding, anemia, hair loss, edema, infections lymphedema, neutropenia, nerve issues, fertility problems and ongoing physical pain. Chemotherapy medicines interfere with the rapidly growing cells of the body. These cells can include those related to hair, skin, fingernails or the stomach lining. Therefore, chemotherapy can cause

    Read More

More about The Pros And Cons Of Radiation Therapy

Open Document