Conventional Radiation Therapy
What is Conventional Radiation Therapy?
Conventional radiation therapy is the most common type of cancer treatment. It can be used to treat more than half of the types of cancers by directly attacking the cancerous cells or by blocking their ability to grow. This technique directs a focused beam of radiation from outside of the body directly to the cancerous internal organ and/or tissue. External beam radiation may be used in conjunction with surgery and chemotherapy and is most commonly prescribed for breast and abdominal areas.
What are the advantages of Conventional Radiation Therapy?
Radiation therapy has been used to treat cancer for over a hundred years. It is a well established treatment that has proven to be successful in treating many types of cancers. With constant technological improvements, radiation oncologists are able to more precisely target the cancerous cells. Conventional radiation therapy is a widely accepted reliable and successful form of cancer treatment.
How does Conventional Radiation Therapy work?
The radiation oncologist will determine the proper dose of radiation for the particular type cancer. The dose will be divided into smaller fractions. One fraction will be delivered per day during the treatment course. A typical treatment plan calls for radiation treatment five days a week for six to seven weeks. The amount of radiation is determined by the type of cancer, location of cancer and will be different for every patient.
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