RADIATION ONCOLOGYIS
Radiotherapy is a treatment method that aims to kill cancer cells by using high-energy radiation. Radiotherapy affects normal cells as well as cancerous cells, so treatment planning should be done by careful and experienced hands to minimize side effects.
Patients may receive radiotherapy before, during or after surgery, depending on the type of cancer.
Radiotherapy can be applied alone or together with chemotherapy.
WHAT IS RADIOTHERAPY?
Radiotherapy (also known as radiation therapy or beam therapy) is named). X-ray is the treatment of oncological disease using high energy rays obtained from different radiation sources. Radiotherapy application is just like a lung x-ray and does not cause pain. Treatment sessions are usually short, just a few minutes. The most commonly used type of radiation is X-rays.
Radiotherapy can be given externally with the help of a machine, or it can be applied internally by placing radioactive sources in the tumor area.
HOW DOES RADIOTHERAPY EFFECT?
High doses of radiation can kill especially fast-growing cells or stop them from dividing and growing. Since tumor cells grow and divide much faster than the normal cells around them, many types of tumors can be successfully treated with radiotherapy. Normal cells are also affected by some radiation, but unlike tumor cells, most of them recover from the effects of radiation much more quickly. Therefore, to protect normal cells, doctors keep the dose of radiation low and spread the total treatment time over time. Your doctors also take care to protect as much normal tissue as possible and direct radiation to the diseased area.
WHAT ARE THE PURPOSES AND BENEFITS OF RADIOTHERAPY?
The goal of radiotherapy The aim is to kill tumor cells or stop their growth while putting normal cells at as little risk as possible. Radiation can be used to treat many types of tumors almost anywhere in the body. As a matter of fact, more than half of oncology diseases can be treated with some radiotherapy applications. and radiotherapy is the only type of treatment used in many oncology patients. It is known that thousands of people who received radiotherapy alone or in combination with other types of tumor treatment were cured of their diseases.
Just like surgery, radiotherapy is a local-regional treatment. In other words, it only affects tumor cells in a certain part of the body. Sometimes doctors also include radiotherapy in treatments that can reach every part of the body through the blood (systemic treatments), such as chemotherapy or biological therapy, to get better results.
WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF RADIOTHERAPY?
Doses of radiotherapy that destroy or damage tumor cells may also cause some damage to some normal cells. Side effects of treatment are caused by the negative effects of radiation on these normal cells. Most of these side effects can disappear spontaneously or by using appropriate medications in a very short time after the treatment is finished. Most side effects of radiotherapy are well known and can be easily treated with the help of doctors, nurses and other staff. Compared to the benefits of destroying tumor cells, there may always be a possibility of side effects at an acceptable level.
The radiation used during the treatment is effective only in the treatment room, and it does not emit radiation after the patient's treatment is completed and he/she leaves the treatment room. For this reason, patients who receive radiotherapy do not pose any radiation risk to their surroundings.
HOW IS RADIOTHERAPY APPLIED?
Radiotherapy is administered by one of two methods. applicable; external = radiotherapy from outside or brachytherapy = radiotherapy from inside/nearby. For some patients, first one, then the other, or both are applied simultaneously.
External radiotherapy is used in most patients who need radiotherapy due to tumor. The patient coming from outside lies on the table of the treatment device and the treatment begins when the technicians make the necessary treatment adjustments. The device irradiates the patient from the required angles.
During internal application, the radioactive source is placed inside the body. This radioactive substance is placed in tissue spaces or tumors. f substances can be removed after a certain time or remain in that tissue.
WHO PERFORMS RADIATION TREATMENT?
Everyone diagnosed with cancer. Radiotherapy is not applied to patients. Therefore, after patients are evaluated by specialist physicians, a decision is made whether to receive radiotherapy or not, taking into account the stage, type of disease and other treatments applied. The physician in charge decides on the method of application, dose, treatment device and duration of treatment for patients for whom radiotherapy is decided.
The first stage of radiotherapy is a detailed clinical examination. The patient's mass or risky area, if any, is determined in advance. Treatment planning is done through the simulation process. Simulation is done with a CT or PET-CT device. Images from CT are transferred to the computerized treatment planning system, and the area to be treated and surrounding critical organs are contoured by doctors. He is a radiotherapy physicist who ensures and supervises the delivery of appropriate and correct doses of radiation from radiotherapy devices. The physicist and the physician work together to plan the treatment plan with a special computer system so that the highest possible dose is applied to the tumor area while the minimum dose is given to normal tissues. 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy, intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) or volumetric arc therapy (VMAT) can be performed with a computerized planning system. If the treatment plan can be confirmed with sensitive imaging methods during the treatment, (IGRT) treatment is applied.
HOW LONG DOES THE TREATMENT TAKE?
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Radiotherapy is usually given 5 days a week for most tumor types and lasts between 4 and 7 weeks. The total radiation dose and number of treatments you need will depend on the size, location and type of your tumor, your general health, and any other medical treatments you have received. .
By applying radiation in small doses every day, instead of several high doses, normal body tissues in the treated area are helped to renew themselves and protect themselves from radiation until the next day. In addition, thanks to the two-day breaks given on weekends, normal cells are further healed.
To get the most from radiotherapy, we complete all our sessions. It is very important to take it properly and as planned. Skipping sessions unnecessarily or postponing them for a long time may reduce the effectiveness of the treatment.
WHAT HAPPENS IN RADIOTHERAPY SESSIONS?
Before each treatment, you You will be given an apron to wear. Therefore, it is recommended that you choose clothing that is easy to change when going to treatment. The treatment technician meets you in the treatment room and places you on the treatment table. It tries to give you the most accurate position with the help of tattoos or lines marked on you and determines the treatment areas. You spend approximately 10-15 minutes in the treatment room during each treatment session, but the actual treatment only takes 2-3 minutes. You will not feel any pain during the treatment. The procedure is like a simple chest X-ray. It is not possible for you to hear, see or smell the radiation.
Protection in each treatment area is made with the help of computers and thin fibers inside the treatment device. Masks and fidgets prepared during the planning process are required to keep you calm and not move during the treatment. In this way, the correct area will receive the desired dose in each session. There is no need to hold your breath during the treatment, breathing calmly will be enough.
The technician leaves the room just before starting the treatment. The treatment device is controlled from the console outside the room. With the help of cameras and speech systems in the treatment room, technicians will monitor you during the treatment, and if necessary, they can talk to you and end the treatment. If you feel uncomfortable, please do not make sudden movements. It will be enough to raise your arm and warn the technician. The treatment device can be stopped at any time and the treatment can be resumed later. Since you will be above the ground during the treatment, sudden movements may cause you to fall and injure yourself.
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