Things to Know About Radiotherapy

Cancer is a disease which currently affects more than 1 in 2 people, and it’s safe to say that this awful disease destroys lives up and down the world, every single day. Whilst we do look set to finally be winning the war against cancer, there is still a long way to go before we are fully victorious. Thanks to the huge advances in modern technology and modern medicine, currently the treatments used to combat cancer are advancing at an astonishing rate, and are looking more successful than ever.

Linear accelerator services are very highly sought after, due to the fact that radiotherapy is one very common and very effective method of treating cancer. But why are linear accelerator services so popular, and exactly how does radiotherapy work? Well, to help make things a little easier to understand, let’s take a look at a few key facts associated with linear accelerator services, and radiotherapy.

What are linear accelerators? – Linear accelerators, or LINAC machines, are specially created machines which utilize concentrated dosages of x-rays to attack and destroy cancerous tumours located within human bodies. The x-rays are emitted via microwave technology, and actually conform to the exact shape of the cancerous tumour of the patient, which helps ensure that surrounding tissue within the body is well protected.

Facts about radiotherapy – So, as you can see from the above, LINAC machines are very effective for treating cancer, so naturally, linear accelerator services are in very high demand. But do you really know all there is to know about radiotherapy? If not, then take a look at the following, as we now look at a few facts associated with radiotherapy:

Radiotherapy comes in multiple forms – Whilst the most common form of radiotherapy comes as x-rays, other forms include: superficial x-rays, electrons, and brachytherapy. The treatment works as x-rays are able to penetrate the skin and attack the cancerous tumours, destroying cancer cells and hopefully destroying the tumour in the process.

Radiotherapy can last weeks – The exact duration of your radiotherapy treatments will vary according to which form of cancer you may be suffering with, and how advanced it has become. Generally speaking however, most courses of radiotherapy treatments range from 2 weeks up to 4 weeks in total.

Side effects may not appear right away – While radiotherapy produces far fewer side effects than other treatments such as chemotherapy, there are some which may arise. What’s more, most side effects will not appear until several weeks later, after the final radiotherapy session has been completed.

Linear accelerators can be customized accordingly – With linear accelerator services, an oncologist will perform a CT scan and will then send info to the computer, telling it the shape and size of the cancerous tumour. Here, the x-rays will then conform to the exact shape and size of the tumour, and will then be beamed into the patient’s body, to attack the tumour, sparing the surrounding tissue.
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