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Radiation therapy as a treatment for rare cancer
Overview
Radiation therapy works by destroying cancer cells or slowing their growth. It slows the growth of cancer cells by damaging their DNA. Cancer cells whose DNA is damaged beyond repair stop dividing or die. When damaged cells die, they are broken down and removed by the body.
Radiation therapy can be used alone or in combination with other types of treatments. It is often used alone if surgery is not possible. If doctors can safely perform surgery, radiation can be used to shrink tumors beforehand. It can precisely target a tumor and minimize radiation exposure to healthy tissues.
There are several different techniques for delivering radiation therapy. They include:
- External beam radiation
- Brachytherapy (internal radiation)
- Radioligand therapy (targeted radiation therapy)
- Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS)*
- Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT)**
- Proton therapy*
The National Cancer Institute’s website has detailed descriptions of these and other radiation therapy techniques.
* Only a few U.S. medical centers offer these advanced techniques.
** Sometimes used for patients with more than one metastatic site.
Considerations
It can take days or weeks of radiation therapy to damage cancer cells enough for them to die. It may take weeks or months after treatment ends to see the full results. There are limits to the amount of radiation an area of your body can safely receive in your lifetime. You may not be able to have more than one course of radiation therapy in the same area. Talk to your doctor about safe limits.
Example: Chordoma
Chordoma is a rare bone cancer that usually develops in the bones of the skull and spine. Its location near vital structures such as the spinal cord or brain means surgery often cannot fully remove the tumor. High-dose radiation, such as proton therapy or SRS, is often employed after surgery to destroy any remaining cancer cells without damaging surrounding tissue. Radiation can also be used when surgery is not an option.
For more information about chordoma, see the Chordoma Foundation.
Additional resources
- Radiation Therapy to Treat Cancer (National Cancer Institute)
- Radiation Therapy (American Cancer Society)