Radiation Oncology

Question 1

What is the role of radiation oncology?

Answer 1

1. cancer treatment: >70% receive cancer treatment
2. non cancer treatment: radiation therapy is also used for other problems such as benign brain tumors, exopthalmos, hetertopic bone growth, keloids.

Question 2

What are the methods of radiation?

Answer 2

radiation is a measure dose of ionizing radiation for the purpose of killing tumor cells in the human body.

1. systemic = radioactive substance is infused inot the body through blood.
2. brachytherapy = placed near tumor
3. external beam = device directs radiation beams through the body.

Question 3

How does radiation kill cells?

Answer 3

Ionizing radiation damages cells in affected area by bombardment of major cell structures, primarily DNA directed damage.