Cancer Treatment Modalities: Radiation Flashcards
Radiation therapy =
The medical use of ionizing radiation (IR) as part of cancer treatment to control malignant cells
How does RT kill cancer cells?
By damaging their DNA directly or create charged particles (free radicals) within the cells that can also damage -> stops cancer division, causing cell death
Classes of RT (3)
External beam RT Internal RT (brachytherapy) Systemic RT (radioactive iodine travels in blood to kill cancer cells)
Goals of RT can be (3)
1) Curative
2) Control
(even when CT/MRI show no tumors, used prophylactically for some types of cancer ex) brain radiation fro lung CA)
3) Palliative
(to relieve sx of pain, mobility, ability to eat/drink such as brain mets, spine mets, tumor near esophagus)
External beam RT is most _____, generated by a ____ _____ (a machine that accelerates electrons to produce x-rays or gamma rays)
Common
Linear accelerator
A form of EBRT that uses cyclotrons or synchrotrons to produce charged atoms that destroy tumors
Proton therapy
A type or radiation therapy common for tx or prostate, uterus, cervical, breast CA
Brachytherapy
Type of radiation that is put inside the pt, sealed in needles, seeds, wires, catheters, or implanted directly into or near a tumor
Brachytherapy
Cancers only treated with radiation and not chemo (2)
Prostate
Larynx
Radiation used after surgery =
Adjuvant RT
Radiation used before surgery
Neoadjuvant or induction RT
Combined modality therapy
Chemo and RT used simultaneously without surgery
An advanced form of three dimensional (3D) conformal radiation that precisely conforms the dose to tumors, allows safer delivery of higher than conventional doses
Intensity modulated RT (IMRT)
Intensity modulated RT commonly combined with what type of RT?
Image guided RT (IGRT)
RT that used 3D imaging to determine exact coordinates of tumor
Stereotactic radiosurgery
Ex) Gamma knife (uses radioactive cobalt sources to focus multiple beams of RT on a small area)
Radiation used to cut off blood flow to a tumor in vascular organs -> starvation
Radioembolization
The basic unit of light and other forms of electromagnetic radiation
Photon
EBRT is often delivered in _____
Photons
1) X rays
2) Gamma rays
Which type of photon has higher energy? Gamma rays or x rays
Gamma rays have the highest energy, followed by photons in x rays
Commonly used machine that delivers EBRT
Linear Accelerator (LINAC)
One of the most common types of EBRT that uses very sophisticated computer software and advanced treatment machines to deliver radiation to very precisely shaped targets
3D conformal RT (3D-CRT)
A type of 3D RT that reduces damage to healthy tissues
IMRT (intensity modulated RT)