What to Expect from Radiation Therapy Treatment

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If you have cancer, there are a number of treatment options. One of the most common is radiation therapy. Radiation therapy is used to treat a wide variety of cancers, and may be used alone or in conjunction with other cancer treatments such as chemotherapy or surgery. Each patient’s treatment will be determined by his/her doctors depending on the type and stage of cancer.

Radiation works to shrink or eliminate tumors, and prevent from cancer reoccurring. It does this by damaging the DNA molecules in the cancer cells, so they stop dividing or die. This type of cancer treatment can be delivered by:

A machine outside of body
Radiation materials placed inside the body
Injection into the blood stream

Radiation treatment may be one of the most intimidating parts of a cancer journey. It can be hard to know what to expect in regards to what the treatment is like, if it hurts, how long does it last, and more.

Read the articles below to find out what to expect before, during, and after radiation treatment for cancer.

Undergoing treatment for cancer is never an easy process. However, knowing what to expect makes things a little easier for you and your loved ones.