Is Radiation Oncology the same as chemotherapy?

 

Radiation oncologists work closely with medical oncologists, surgeons and different doctors to coordinate the foremost acceptable take care of you. irradiation uses rigorously targeted and controlled doses of high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells. Radiation doesn't hurt, sting, or burn once it enters the body. you'll hear clicking or droning throughout the treatment and there could also be a smell from the machine. therapy and irradiation ar each treatments for cancer – the uncontrolled growth and unfold of cells to encompassing tissues. therapy, or “chemo,” uses special medication to shrink or kill cancer cells. irradiation, or “radiation,” kills these cells with high-energy beams like X-rays or protons.

Though chemo and radiation each attack cancer cells, they add other ways. therapy medication flow into in your blood. They kill or shrink cancer cells anyplace in your body, not simply at the location wherever the primary (primary) cancerous neoplasm starts. as a result of these medication meet up with your whole system, they’re referred to as “systemic.” Radiation treatment uses invisible bursts of energy rather than medication. additionally, it's sometimes a “local” treatment that aims energy beams simply at the world wherever cancer cells grow. the kind of cancer and what stage, or however way on, it's can facilitate tell your doctor that medical aid you would like, or if you would like each. In most cases, your doctor can need to approach treatment with a couple of totally different tools.

These would possibly embrace chemo and radiation, similarly as surgery to get rid of tumors, targeted therapies, and different choices. each therapies usually happen over a amount of weeks in regular visits to the hospital or doctor’s workplace. however every case is totally different, therefore see your doctor concerning the proper treatment set up for you. irradiation involves giving high doses of radiation beams directly into a neoplasm. The radiation beams amendment the DNA makeup of the neoplasm, inflicting it to shrink or die. this kind of cancer treatment has fewer aspect effects than therapy since it solely targets one space of the body.