Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy, or radiotherapy, has proven to be a vitally important method of lung cancer treatment. During radiation therapy, high doses of radiation (X-rays) are directed onto the cancerous part(s) of the body in hopes of shrinking tumors and destroying cancerous cells. Radiotherapy may be used as a primary treatment, prior to surgery (to shrink a tumor), after surgery to eliminate any remaining cancer cells, or to treat lung cancer that has invaded the brain.

Usually, radiation therapy is administered in a series of radiation treatment sessions spread out over about six weeks. Some researchers believe that giving high doses of radiotherapy in a short amount of time lessens damage to the patient's body and causes fewer side effects than longer, spread-out lung cancer treatment sessions.

Side effects of radiation therapy treatment include headaches, nausea, vomiting, exhaustion, hair loss, memory loss, and skin problems.

Types of radiation therapy include external beam therapy, conformal radiation therapy, CT scanning, and intensity-modulated radiation therapy. Your physician will work with you to select the lung cancer treatment method that is best suited for your needs and your particular case.

To learn more about radiation therapy and X-ray treatment, contact a lung cancer attorney today.