Things You Need to Know About Radiation Oncology

Radiation oncology in India is a type of medical treatment, which is used with other medical procedures for the treatment of cancer. It is also known by other names such as radiation therapy or radiotherapy. X-rays of high energy called photons are used in radiation oncology and it is normally delivered through a linear accelerator. There will be no pain while using these X-rays and it is not visible. They are used in numerous cancer treatments all over the world.

The Course of Radiation Therapy Treatment

The linear accelerator will be used in a cancer centre where many specialist doctors with a vast expertise will be available. This team of multidisciplinary doctors consists of radiation oncologists along with medical physicists, radiation therapists, and nurses. They will assess and recommend the cancer patient for the treatment of cancer using radiation therapy. If the patient experiences any side effects, then this team will help in treating them.

A radiation oncologist in India will be a part of the cancer treatment team where other specialists such as medical oncologists and surgeons will work together to devise the right treatment plan. The radiation oncologist will discuss with the cancer patient the role of radiation therapy and how it will help him in the treatment of cancer.

Radiation Therapy in Combination with Other Cancer Treatments

Sometimes, radiation therapy alone is enough to treat cancer, but sometimes, it is combined with other cancer treatment procedures such as biological therapy, hormonal therapy, and chemotherapy. Some cancers, which can be treated by radiation therapy alone, are larynx and prostate cancer. Breast cancer is among the cancers that need to be combined with other treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation in breast cancer.

Radiation therapy can be used in many ways either before the surgery or after the surgery. For instance, it can be given to the cancer patient before the surgery to reduce the size of cancer or tumour, which will help in not cutting large areas for surgery and faster recovery. Sometimes, radiation therapy is used after the surgery to kill the cancer cells, which are left in small quantities inside the body.

Radiation Therapy as Palliation or Palliative Care

Radiation therapy also helps in slowing down the growth and spread of cancer cells in the body. When the purpose of radiation therapy is to promote the life quality and decrease the symptoms of the cancer patient, it is called palliation or palliative care.

Examples of palliative care in this respect are:

1. Decreasing the tumour size to relieve the pain of the patient.
2. Reducing the size of the lung tumour, which was the reason for breath shortness and thereby improving the quality of life.

The Radiation Therapy Team

The multidisciplinary team of doctors for radiation therapy include dentists, physical therapists, dieticians, social workers, radiation oncology nurses, radiation therapists, dosimetrists, radiation oncologists, medical physicists, and other healthcare professionals. 

Safety of Radiation Therapy

Many patients might be concerned about the safety aspect of radiation therapy. There is nothing to worry because for more than a hundred years, this therapy has been used to treat many cancer patients successfully.

Before Radiation Therapy

1. Assessment & evaluation by a radiation oncologist
2. Simulation (Measurement of body & marking the skin)
3. Devising the best treatment plan

During Radiation Therapy

1. External beam radiation therapy treatment
2. Checking the status of health
3. Verification of treatment beams’ position
4. Brachytherapy

After Radiotherapy Treatment

1. Follow-up Appointments

Side Effects of Radiotherapy Treatment

Usually, radiation therapy is a tolerable treatment and many patients can lead a normal life. But a few patients get to experience some side effects. The radiation oncology team will give you the right medication after you share the side effects that you are facing such as:

1. Mild or moderate skin irritation
2. Soreness
3. Stomach upset
4. Fatigue

Most of the time, the side effects will be experienced only around the area of treatment of cancer cells.

As we can see, radiation oncology can go a long way in helping a cancer patient to live a normal life again without any pain. Make sure to always wear sunscreen on your skin after the treatment, eat a balanced diet, follow the advice given by the cancer specialist, and get a lot of rest and proper sleep. This will allow you to recover faster.