What is radiation treatment?

Radiation treatment uses high-energy x-rays to treat cancer. This is a stronger type of x-ray than you may have had before. Radiation treatment may be used alone or together with other forms of treatment such as surgery or chemotherapy.

How is radiation given?

External radiation

Most people receive external radiation treatments. This means that radiation comes from a machine, that is located about 2 feet (60 cm) from your body. We use these machines to give a prescribed dose of radiation to the area determined by your radiation oncologist. External radiation is most often given as a course or series of treatments. Treatments are Monday to Friday, and a course of treatment can last one day to several days or weeks.

Internal radiation

Internal radiation, also called brachytherapy, delivers radiation to the tumor or cavity where your tumor was removed inside your body. This type of treatment is done in a different department in radiation therapy. It may happen during your course of external radiation treatment or after all the external beam radiation treatments are finished.