ABOUT RADIATION THERAPY
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In radiation therapy, beams of energy or radioactive particles are aimed directly at a tumor or place in the body that has been invaded by cancer. The technique is so effective in treating some types of cancer that more than half of all patients with cancer receive radiation treatments.
Radiation therapy kills cancer cells or keeps them from growing and spreading. Radiation is a localized treatment that zeros in tightly on a tumor or cancerous cells. Radiation therapists shield normal tissue from the radiation, and radiation oncologists select treatment schedules that spread radiation treatments over time to minimize damage to normal cells. Some normal cells may be damaged by the radiation, but unlike cancer cells, most normal cells recover.
