Radiotherapy

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Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy (pronounced: /ˌreɪdi.oʊˈθɛrəpi/), also known as radiation therapy, is a type of cancer treatment that uses high doses of radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.

Etymology

The term "radiotherapy" originates from the Latin radius, meaning "ray", and the Greek therapeia, meaning "curing, healing".

Definition

Radiotherapy is a method of treating disease, especially cancer, using radiation. It works by damaging the DNA within cancer cells, which prevents them from reproducing and growing. This can lead to the death of the cancer cells and the reduction of tumors.

Types of Radiotherapy

There are several types of radiotherapy, including:

Related Terms

  • Oncology - The study of cancer. A doctor who specializes in treating cancer with radiotherapy is known as a radiation oncologist.
  • Radiation - Energy that comes from a source and travels through space. In the context of radiotherapy, this refers to ionizing radiation.
  • Tumor - An abnormal growth of cells. Tumors can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).

See Also

External links

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