Cancer is still the most
feared disease by most people. It is known that in the past two decades, cancer
has increased by 70%. In fact according to WHO data there are as many as 14
million new cancer cases, and 8.2 million people die from cancer in 2012.
However, along with the development of science and technology in the medical field, patients who have successfully recovered from cancer are also increasing.
However, along with the development of science and technology in the medical field, patients who have successfully recovered from cancer are also increasing.
Nearly half of cancer
patients are advised to do radiotherapy in their treatment. But, usually cancer
patients are afraid if they have to undergo radiotherapy, because they think
that radiation is dangerous or related to nuclear, or can even make the body become
radioactive.
But is that true?
How does radiotherapy actually kill cancer?
Does radiotherapy have an adverse effect?
But is that true?
How does radiotherapy actually kill cancer?
Does radiotherapy have an adverse effect?
What is radiotherapy?
Radiotherapy is one
method of treatment that deals with high energy waves such as x-rays, protons,
electrons, and gamma to kill cancer cells.
Although radiotherapy is most often used to treat cancer patients, but sometimes this therapy is also used to treat non-cancer patients, such as tumors and disorders of the thyroid gland.
Although radiotherapy is most often used to treat cancer patients, but sometimes this therapy is also used to treat non-cancer patients, such as tumors and disorders of the thyroid gland.
How does radiotherapy work to fight cancer?
Under normal and healthy
conditions, cells in the body will develop by dividing. In patients who have
cancer, cancer cells also divide themselves, but in a very fast and abnormal
period.
This is caused by the DNA in normal cells mutating and then becoming cancer cells, so that the cells develop abnormally.
This is caused by the DNA in normal cells mutating and then becoming cancer cells, so that the cells develop abnormally.
Radiotherapy works by
damaging DNA that regulates the division of cancer cells, so that cells can no
longer develop or even die. Normal cells can also be affected by radiotherapy,
but the side effects that are caused will be lost if you have not done therapy.
If chemotherapy is done to affect all parts of the body because it uses blood flow as an intermediary, it is different from radiotherapy.
Radiotherapy works as a local treatment that aims to reduce the number of cancer cells without having to damage cells and tissues around cancer cells.
If chemotherapy is done to affect all parts of the body because it uses blood flow as an intermediary, it is different from radiotherapy.
Radiotherapy works as a local treatment that aims to reduce the number of cancer cells without having to damage cells and tissues around cancer cells.
What are the side effects of radiotherapy?
Radiotherapy can work
alone in fighting cancer, but can also be accompanied by treatment of other
cancers such as chemotherapy or surgery. This depends on the severity of the
cancer and which parts of the body are affected by cancer.
Because if radiotherapy is carried out together with other methods, the cancer cells will be easier and faster to remove from the body.
Because if radiotherapy is carried out together with other methods, the cancer cells will be easier and faster to remove from the body.
Radiotherapy therapy does
not always directly kill growing normal cells or cancer cells. To make the cell
die, it won't even grow back, it takes a long time to even weeks.
Examples of normal tissue that is often exposed to radiation are body tissues that carry out continuous division such as tissue in the bone marrow and digestive system, and on the skin. Therefore, side effects will occur some time after radiotherapy.
Examples of normal tissue that is often exposed to radiation are body tissues that carry out continuous division such as tissue in the bone marrow and digestive system, and on the skin. Therefore, side effects will occur some time after radiotherapy.
The most frequent impact
experienced by patients taking radiotherapy is:
Skin problems. Many patients who do radiotherapy
experience dry skin, itching, and peeling. This problem arose after several
weeks of undergoing radiotherapy.
Fatigue. The patient will feel tired
throughout the day. The level of fatigue that arises depends on how many
radiation doses are given and whether to do other treatment methods or not.
Long-term impact. Most of the effects or side effects
that appear will disappear by themselves when the body has made tissue repair
after radiotherapy. But sometimes these side effects arise again later on.
Is radiotherapy safe?
Of course radiotherapy is
safe and it really helps the medical team to eliminate cancer cells and speed
up treatment. This therapy has been successfully carried out to cure cancer
patients for approximately 100 years.
Radiotherapy is important to reduce the risk of future cancer recurrence. If indeed you are required to do radiotherapy as your cancer treatment, then discuss this with therapy or the medical team that handles you to find out how good preparation for radiotherapy and how many times radiotherapy should be done.
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