Radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high-energy x-ray or other particles to destroy cancer cells. A doctor who specializes in giving radiation therapy to treat cancer is called a radiation oncologist. A radiation therapy regimen, or schedule, usually consists of a specific number of treatments given over a set period.
Radiation therapy can treat many different types of cancer. It can also be used in combination with other cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and/or surgery.
There are two primary categories of radiation therapy: external and brachytherapy (internal). The type of radiation given depends on many factors including:
- The type of cancer
- The size of the tumor
- Where the tumor is located in the body
- How close that tumor is to normal tissues that are sensitive to radiation
- Your general health and medical history
Each patient will have a customized treatment plan created for them by the team using the latest in radiation therapy technologies available in the Albany Capital Region area.
