Radiation

Radiation therapy often plays a major role in the treatment of cancer. It can be used alone or in combination with surgery or chemotherapy.

Radiation is energy carried by waves or a stream of particles. It can come from special machines or from radioactive substances. Special equipment aims the radiation at tumors or areas of the body where there is disease.

Different types of radiation therapy are radiotherapy, x-ray therapy, cobalt therapy, electron beam therapy or irradiation. High doses of raditation can kill cells or keep them from dividing. Radiation therapy can be used to treat cancer because cancer cells divide more rapidly than many of the normal cells around them. Although some normal cells are damaged by radiation, most normal cells appear to recover more fully from the effects of radiation than do cancer cells.

Scott Roberts, MD of 21st Century Oncology, provides radiation oncology treatments at Park Ridge Cancer Services.

Dr. Roberts phone: 828-684-6306

Taking Cancer Care to Heart