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Why do some people need radiation therapy and not others?

Community Cancer Care: FAQ
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 and grade of disease. 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.
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What is radiation therapy?

Community Cancer Care: FAQ
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.
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Why do I need radiation therapy if the cancer has been removed?

MammoSite 5-Day Targeted Radiation Therapy: Frequently Asked...
After the cancerous tissue is removed, radiation therapy is used to help keep the cancer from coming back in the breast, especially at the site where the cancer was removed. The radiation can kill any cancer cells that may remain after the lumpectomy. Radiation therapy uses high-energy beams of radiation focused on the breast where the cancer occurred. This energy disrupts the growth of the cells.
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Do I need to be licensed in radiation therapy?

All Career Schools -
No, but some employers prefer to hire radiation therapists who have been certified and are currently registered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). Certified radiation therapists must meet education and clinical competency standards set by the ARRT. Employers often prefer certified radiation therapists, who have passed national examinations that verify their professional skills and knowledge.
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Contact Page
Radiation therapy uses an invisible beam of high-energy particles, such as electrons, or waves, such as x-rays, or gamma rays to destroy or damage cancer cells. Other names for radiation therapy include radiotherapy, x-ray therapy, electron beam irradiation, and some older forms of radiation therapy using radioactive Cobalt. The first patient with cancer to receive radiation treatment for her tumor was treated in 1896, just one year after the “discovery” of X-rays.
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Frequently Asked Radiation Therapy Questions
Radiation therapy is a highly effective, pain-free treatment option used to cure or control the spread of cancer, bring relief to symptoms including pain, and to improve the quality of life of a patient with cancer. Radiation therapy is used on up to 80% of all cancers including breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, skin cancer, brain tumors and more. Radiation therapy involves the use of various kinds of radiation treatment techniques.
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Radiation Treatment Center - Frequently Asked Questions - M....
Radiation therapy, sometimes called radiotherapy, effectively treats cancer by using high-energy beams to pinpoint and destroy cancerous cells. Although radiation therapy is similar to an X-ray, the dose of radiation in cancer treatment is much stronger and is given over a longer period of time. Many forms of radiation are available. Your oncologist will choose the best therapy based on the type, stage and location of your cancer.
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What are some of the cancers treated by radiation therapy?

Community Cancer Care: FAQ
Skin, head and neck, throat, larynx, breast, brain, prostate, colo-rectal, lung, bone, leukemia, among others.
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University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital: Cancer: Fre...
Also called radiotherapy and irradiation. It uses high-energy radiation beams to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation may come from a machine outside the body or it may come from radioactive material placed in the body near cancer cells. Systemic radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance that travels in the blood to tissues throughout the body. »Read about our pediatric radiation oncology services
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Patients' Frequently Asked Questions (PFAQ) - Cancer
Radiation Therapy is the delivery of treatment using radiations from natural or artificial sources to treat disease, most often cancer. Natural sources include Cobalt-60, Iodine-131, Iodine-125, Gold-189, and isotopes or other variants of other elements as well. Radiations are produced or emitted by these elements and are used like x-rays.
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Do I need to stay away from people while I am taking radiation?

MUSC - Department of Radiation Oncology
Absolutely not! Radiation therapy does not cause your body to become radioactive. There is no need to avoid being with other people because of your treatment. In fact, you will probably want to be with those you love and those who can offer you support and encouragement while you are receiving radiation treatments and beyond.
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What Happens When People Are Exposed to Radiation?

CDC Radiation Emergencies | Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs...
Radiation can affect the body in a number of ways, and the adverse health effects of exposure may not be apparent for many years. These adverse health effects can range from mild effects, such as skin reddening, to serious effects such as cancer and death, depending on the amount of radiation absorbed by the body (the dose), the type of radiation, the route of exposure, and the length of time a person was exposed.
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What kind of training will I need in radiation therapy?

All Career Schools -
Radiation therapist programs can range from one to two years. One-year programs result in a certificate or diploma, while two-year programs provide students with associate's degrees. One-year programs emphasize supervised clinical education in training facilities like hospitals. The associate's degree provides in-depth training that focuses on theoretical knowledge (in the classroom) and hands-on experiences.
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What are the side effects of the radiation therapy?

BASCOM PALMER EYE INSTITUTE: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTONS
The type of radiation used in eye-plaque therapy should not cause hair loss, nausea, brain damage, or affect your other eye. Once the radiation plaque is removed, there will be no radiation left in your body, on your clothing, or on any of your personal belongings. The effects of the radiation delivered to your tumor and eye will continue to be observed for months and years after treatment.
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How is the radiation therapy given?

Frequently Asked Questions
Radiation is aimed from machines outside the body (external beam radiation) or is introduced into the body via materials called radioisotopes. This kind of internal radiation is called interstitial radiation or brachytherapy. Radioisotopes are placed in or near the tumor or in the area of the cancer cells. Systemic radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance that circulates throughout the body.
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Q.-Can I take vitamin B17 with chemo therapy or radiation?

Cancer F.A.Q's
A.-Absolutely. Please find out if there is any success rate with chemo with the cancer you have. If the doctor says yes then ask him if he means success as in cured, or success as in it might extend your life for a few months. If you are about to have an operation where the cancer cells are going to be disturbed, it is imperative that you take the seeds and the vitamin B17 to kill any of the free cells. Vitamin B 17 can only help.
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How does radiation therapy work? Will it hurt?

Frequently Asked Questions About Breast Cancer | Advocate He...
Radiation therapy uses a controlled, precise x-ray beam to deliver a measured amount of radiation to the tissue surrounding a cancer site following surgery. The purpose is to destroy any remaining microscopic cancer cells that may remain in the surrounding tissue. During the treatment you will not feel anything. Some women experience skin reddening and tenderness in the treatment area that may last for several weeks after treatment is complete.
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How effective is radiation therapy?

Pituitary Network Association - FAQ
Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells and abnormal pituitary cells and shrink tumors. Radiation for pituitary tumors these days almost always comes from a radiation source outside the body (external radiation therapy). Radiation therapy may be used if medication/surgery fails to control the tumor. There are several different types of radiation therapy.
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Q: What is the effect on potency of radiation therapy after a RRP?

URF - The Site for Prostate Cancer Information
In about 50% of these cases, radiation does damage the cavernosal nerves and erections begin to fade about one year after treatment.
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Is radiation therapy expensive?

Saint John's Health Center - Frequently Asked Questions abou...
Radiation therapy can be costly because it requires the use of very complex equipment and the services of numerous health care professionals. The exact cost of your radiation therapy will depend on the type and number of treatments you receive.
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Should I have radiation therapy or a prostatectomy for localized prostate cancer?

Prostate Cancer
The exact cause of prostate cancer is not known, but experts believe that your age and family history (genetics) may have something to do with your chances of getting the disease. Eating a high-fat diet may add to your chances of getting it.2 The prostate usually gets larger as you age. Having an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH) is very common among older men and does not increase your chances of developing prostate cancer.
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What percentage of cancer patients receive radiation therapy?

Community Cancer Care: FAQ
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.
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The Radiation Oncology Treatment Experience | Patient Care |...
Radiation therapy is one of the most common treatments for cancer, used in more than half of all cancer cases. In radiation therapy, we use high-energy rays to destroy cancer cells in your body. The radiation is delivered by a special machine called a linear accelerator, or by radioactive substances that are implanted or injected. Norris Cotton Cancer Center's Radiation Oncology team uses the most advanced computer planning and treatment delivery systems to precisely deliver the radiation.
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The CHEM Center for Radiation Oncology
Radiation is a special kind of energy carried by waves or a stream of particles. When radiation is used at very high levels it can be used to treat cancer and other illnesses. High levels of radiation can kill cells or keep them from growing and dividing. Cancer cells grow and divide more rapidly than many of the normal cells around them and so are very vulnerable to radiation. Radiation therapy is an effective way to treat many kinds of cancer in almost any part of the body.
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