Radiotherapy
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:
- External beam radiotherapy - This is the most common type of radiotherapy, where radiation is delivered from a machine outside the body.
- Internal radiotherapy - Also known as brachytherapy, this involves placing a radioactive material inside the body.
- Systemic radiotherapy - This involves swallowing or injecting a radioactive substance.
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
- Medical encyclopedia article on Radiotherapy
- Wikipedia's article - Radiotherapy
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