Radiotherapy for treating cancer

Radiotherapy for treating cancer

Radiation is a form of therapy that uses high-energy beams to kill cancerous and tumor cells in our body and it is often referred to as Radiotherapy. At a lower dosage, this is the same as the radiation used by X-rays to check inside the body for broken bones. Radiotherapy treatment is often given to patients who are suffering from cancer and the number of sessions will vary based on the kind of cancer and stage of cancer involved. It is not painful as a process and it is generally used during the early stages ofcancer as a curative treatment or at a later stage to reduce the size of the tumor along with surgery or chemotherapy as neo-adjuvant radiotherapy treatment in India.

Common forms of radiotherapy

Radiotherapy treatment in India is given to patients in many different forms as required for the type of cancer and based upon the health of the patients.

1. Using external beams of radiation to focus on the affected areas carefully for treating cancerous cells.
2. Brachytherapy where radioactive metal is temporarily implanted near the cancer cells in the body.
3. Radioisotope therapy where a radioactive liquid is given to the patient for drinking or injections and pills directly injected into the bloodstream.
4. Delivering radiation directly to the tumor, mostly in breast cancer surgeries, is known as Intrabeam radiotherapy treatment in India.

Apart from the above, there is IGRT or Image-Guided Radiation Therapy, and IMRT or Intensity Modulated Radiation therapy that is often used for treating cancers. A radiotherapy session might make you feel tiredand sore, and cause hair loss, sickness, diarrhea, etc. The treatment will also impact the healthy tissue around the cancer cells and depending on the kind of radiotherapy treatment you receive, you may or may not have to stay in hospital for the treatment.

IGRT or Image Guided Radiotherapy Treatment in India

Incorporation of imaging techniques between the radiotherapy treatments in India is known as IGRT and it ensures a guided and more powerful radiation on the affected area. It is a very common and preferred technique employed for any kind of radiation therapy and is the best way to treat different types of cancers. A variety of imaging techniques are deployed as part of IGRT like 2D or 3D or 4D depending on the need of the hour. It helps in calculating the best position of your body to receive the best radiation treatment and minimize harm to the other healthy tissues. The imaging is taken sometimes after the radiation therapy to check the improvement or in between the sessions to check for tumor movement and to adjust body position accordingly to treat the tumor.

Why use IGRT?

While IGRT is used for treatment in any radiation therapy, it is more beneficial to use for tumors closer to sensitive organs. It is also beneficial when the tumor has the possibility of moving between sessions and gives a better result.

• With IGRT, you are guaranteed an accurate radiation delivery precisely on the point of infection.
• With the imaging techniques, the tumor position, shape, and size can be monitored easily and precisely and giving an improved treatment option.
• Better control of the tumor elimination with higher and targeted radiation therapy.
• The radiation exposure of the healthy tissues surrounding the affected region is reduced and has a lesser impact on the overall healthy tissues.

IMRT or Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy Treatment in India

An advanced version of radiotherapy treatment in India, IMRT is used generally for treating both cancerous and other tumors. The technique uses advanced technology to manipulate the shape of the photon or proton beam to match the shape of the tumor to make the therapy more effective. The tumor is irradiated with multiple beams of high energy and in different intensities to achieve the desired result. Every beam is controlled for its intensity and the shape keeps changing all through the treatment as the tumor shrinks. By conforming to the shape of the tumor, this therapy ensures that the healthy tissues and cells, surrounding the tumor are not affected.

Why use IMRT?

As with IGRT, this technique is also more beneficial for tumors closer to sensitive organs in the body. However, it is used for all kinds of cancers and is a preferred option compared to the conventional radiotherapy treatment in India.

1. Side-effects are very less when compared to the traditional method of radiation.
2. Conformance to the tumor’ shape throughout the session ensures that no healthy cell is targeted.
3. Precise radiation delivery with lesser radiation exposure.
4. Helps in using a higher dose of radiation concentrated on the tumor to kill cancer without causing much harm to the overall health.

Not many countries have been fortunate to have access to IGRT and IMRT techniques for combating tumors and cancers. Radiotherapy treatment in India is less expensive compared to many other countries and skilled doctors can prove to be a good way to fight the disease.