Fri 30 Jul 2010 07:53:26 EDT

Radiation therapy or radiotherapy is the use of ionizing radiation to destroy cancer cells.

There are two types of radiation therapy. One is External Beam Radiation and the other is Internal Radiation also called Brachytherapy. Both types are offered at ROCJ.

In external beam radiation therapy, treatment is delivered using high energy x-rays that are emitted from a machine and penetrate through the skin to the area where the cancer is located. There is also Superficial X-ray Treatment For Skin Related Conditions.

Internal radiation also called brachytherapy, involves implanting radioactive sources inside the patient’s body tissue (interstitial radiation) or the radiation sources are placed in an applicator, which is inserted into a cavity (intracavitary radiation).