Patient Representation

What is Radiotherapy?

Radiotherapy is the use of high energy x-rays and similar rays (such as electrons) to treat disease.

Many people with cancer will have radiotherapy as part of their treatment. This can be given either as external radiotherapy from outside the body using x-rays or from within the body as internal radiotherapy. See Cancer Research UK for more details on internal radiotherapy.

Radiotherapy works by destroying the cancer cells in the treated area. Although normal cells can also be damaged by the radiotherapy, they can usually repair themselves.

Radiotherapy treatment can cure some cancers and can also reduce the chance of a cancer coming back after surgery. It may be used to reduce cancer symptoms.

Why is radiotherapy given?

Radiotherapy is used in one of two ways:

Firstly, as a curative treatment. That is, radiotherapy that is given with the aim of destroying a tumour and curing the cancer. This may also be described as radical radiotherapy.

For some types of curative radiotherapy treatment, you may need to go to the hospital each week day for between two and seven weeks. In this situation, a small dose of radiotherapy is given each time. This is because as well as damaging cancer cells, radiotherapy can also cause damage to healthy cells in the treatment area. Small doses are given to allow them to recover in between.

Radiotherapy may be used on its own or may be given before or after surgery or chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is the use of anti-cancer drugs to destroy cancer cells. If radiotherapy and chemotherapy are given at the same time, this treatment is known as chemoradiation.

Secondly, as palliative treatment. Sometimes when it’s not possible to cure a cancer, radiotherapy may be given to relieve symptoms – to lessen pain, for example. Lower doses of radiotherapy are given than for curative treatment, usually over a shorter period of time (sometimes just a single treatment).

Which course of treatment?

When deciding on your course of treatment your radiotherapist takes into account
Your type of cancer
Where your cancer is
Any previous, current or planned treatment
Your general health and fitness

This means that your treatment will be individual to you.

A course of radiotherapy treatment aimed at curing cancer usually lasts between 1 to 6 weeks but may be longer than this. Your radiotherapist will tell you how long your treatment will take.

Many patients have daily treatment from Monday to Friday, with a rest at weekends. Others have different treatment plans, such as 3 days a week or treatment twice a day. The radiotherapy staff try to give you an appointment for the same time each day. This gives your body a chance to recover from any side effects between treatments. It also means you can get into a daily routine.

What are the side effects of radiotherapy?

External radiotherapy doesn't make you radioactive. It is safe to be with other people, including children, throughout your treatment. People react to radiotherapy in different ways:

Some carry on working and just take time off for their treatment
Others feel tired and want to stay at home
Some are admitted to hospital

Your doctors and nurses will advise you about how best to manage your course of treatment. If you have a family to look after you may need extra help. Don't be afraid to ask for help from your employer, family or friends, or the staff in the radiotherapy department. As your treatment goes on you'll have more idea of how it makes you feel, so you can make any changes to your daily life.

For more information on radiotherapy, please see Cancer Partners UK Patient Guide