Frequently Asked Questions Q: What is radiation therapy?
A: Radiation is a special kind of energy carried by waves or a stream of particles. It can come from special machines or from radioactive substances. When radiation is used at high doses (many times those used for x-ray exams), it can treat cancer and other illnesses. Special equipment is used to aim the radiation at tumors or areas of the body where there is disease. The use of high-energy rays or particles to treat disease is called radiation therapy. Sometimes it's called radiotherapy, x-ray therapy, electron beam therapy or irradiation.
Q: Does radiation therapy hurt?
A: Receiving external radiation treatments is painless, just like having an x-ray taken.
Q: How much does radiation therapy cost?
A: Treatment of cancer with radiation can be costly. It requires very complex equipment and the services of many healthcare professionals. The exact cost of radiation therapy will depend on the type and number of treatments needed. Most health insurance policies cover charges for radiation therapy. CARTI is a not-for-profit institution and we treat patients regardless of their ability to pay.
Q: What percentage of cancer patients receive radiation therapy?
A: Approximately 60% of cancer patients receive radiation therapy. Radiation therapy may be prescribed as the only treatment for the patient, or it may be prescribed in combination with surgery and/or chemotherapy.
Q: Why do some people need radiation therapy and not others?
A: After a diagnosis of cancer, a doctor will consider several factors in determining the course of treatment that will be most successful for a particular patient. These factors include the type of tumor, site of origin and the stage of spread. These factors affect the likelihood of a particular therapy slowing down or stopping the disease process. In some cases, only one specific therapy may be appropriate.
Q: Will I become radioactive?
A: External radiation therapy does not cause your body to become radioactive.
Q: How long does a typical treatment take?
A: For each external beam radiation treatment session, the patient will be in the treatment room about 15 to 30 minutes, but will be getting the dose of radiation for only about one to five minutes of that time.
Q: What are some of the cancers treated by radiation therapy?
A: Skin, head and neck, throat, larynx, breast, brain, prostate, colo-rectal, lung, bone, leukemia, among others.
Q: What about side effects?
A: Side effects of radiation therapy are most often related to treatment dose and the area that is being treated. Most side effects that occur during radiation therapy - although unpleasant - are not serious and can be controlled with medication or diet. The most common side effects are fatigue, skin changes and loss of appetite.
Q: I thought radiation caused cancer?
A: Overexposure to radiation can cause cancer in some instances, but for the treatment of cancer, therapeutic radiation is used. Therapeutic radiation uses very limited and targeted amounts of radiation.
Q: What is palliation?
A: Palliation is the use of treatment to relieve, rather than cure, symptoms caused by cancer. Palliative care can help people live more comfortably.
