Radiation therapy - a method of cancer therapy using ionizing radiation Radiation and its biological effect: gently infected! . It can be used alone or in combination with other treatments, such as surgery or chemotherapy.

Tasks radiotherapy

In many cases, radiation therapy is used to treat cancer, as a main or supplementary treatment. In some cases, radiation therapy administered after surgery to destroy cancer cells that may remain in the body. No radiotherapy these cells may over time lead to a relapse of cancer.

Sometimes used radiotherapy before surgery to shrink a tumor in order to facilitate its removal. Radiotherapy can also be used to treat cancer in combination with chemotherapy Chemotherapy - it always falls the hair? .

Here you need to make a small reservation. Speaking about the problems of treatment of cancer patients, professionals prefer to designate them as reaching remission, not cure or recovery. This is due to the fact that the use of any method of treatment of cancer is likely to return - so to speak of recovery from cancer is not quite right.

When remission can not be considered a realistic goal, radiotherapy is used for slowing the progression of cancer. It may temporarily postpone the onset of symptoms and maintain the usual quality of life.

Even when the poor prognosis radiotherapy may be used to reduce the size of the cancer. This can significantly alleviate the existing symptoms. In such cases, it called palliative radiotherapy.

External radiotherapy

This is the most frequently used form of radiotherapy. It is performed by a special device that emits high-frequency X-rays (also apply other types of radiation).

The doctor planning radiation therapy, depending on type, size and location of the cancer. Carefully calculated the total dose of radiation needed to treat cancer. Usually, treatment is carried out in short sessions over several weeks. Treatment is continued until the patient has received the required dose.

One of the objectives of radiotherapy - to minimize the effects on healthy cells. In recent years the technology of radiotherapy significantly improved. Using magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography can determine the location of the tumor more accurately than ever before, and therefore more accurately direct radiation.

During a session of radiotherapy is a device that emits radiation. The doctor is in a separate room where he watches the procedure through a monitor window. All this time they were with the patient can hear each other. Staying in a separate room necessary for the protection of medical staff against radiation.

Each treatment lasts only a few minutes. The patient does not feel the effects of radiation during the procedure, but after it can cause irritation of the skin.

Internal radiation therapy

During this procedure, in tumors or in tissues adjacent to these implants are introduced into special, containing various radioactive materials. This treatment method is used mainly for the treatment of some cancers of the uterus, vagina, rectum, cervix, prostate, mouth. Some implants are removed after a few days, while others - in a few minutes. There are kinds of implants that remain in the body for a long time.

Sometimes a patient is administered radioactive materials in liquid form. For example, in the treatment of thyroid cancer Thyroid Cancer The thyroid gland - is responsible for your hormones : It is curable   the patient can give a liquid containing a radioactive iodine. It is concentrated in thyroid cells and destroys them, exerting minimal effects on other tissues.

Side effects

Besides the already mentioned skin irritation, radiation therapy can cause diarrhea, weakness, ulcers in the mouth. It is also known that it increases the risk of developing cancer in the future. However, the use of radiation therapy is much greater this risk.

Thyroid cancer may be distributed - to metastasize - the lymph nodes, lungs, bone and, in some cases, to the brain. Sometimes, the swelling in the thyroid gland The thyroid gland - is responsible for your hormones   It becomes very large, and begins to grow into the structure, located in the neck - e.g., the trachea, esophagus, blood vessels, nerves and muscle tissue. In the first case we speak about remote metastases Metastasis - danger everywhere In the second - on the regional.

Fortunately, in many cases, metastases can be cured, or at least slow their spread, by means of treatment with radioactive iodine. This therapy is especially effective for small metastases in the lungs, which is not always possible to detect using CT, but can be seen when scanning with radioactive iodine. Metastases of thyroid cancer, which are so large that they can be seen during the ultrasound or CT, should be removed surgically. If there were metastases in the lymph nodes, they are removed together with lymph nodes Lymph nodes - what keeps our immune system .

For the treatment of cancer whose cells do not absorb radioactive iodine and those that can not be resected, new methods of treatment that is only in clinical trials.

Clinical Trials

Now there are numerous clinical trials, during which studied ways to treat various types of thyroid cancer. It is widely researched medicines from the group of tyrosine kinase inhibitors, already have registered trade names - such as sorafenib (Nexavar, Bayer) and sunitinib (Sutent, Pfizer, Inc.). The first results are promising, but more research is needed to determine which patients these drugs are the most effective and safe.

Some patients with metastatic thyroid cancer themselves willing to participate in clinical trials - in some cases it is the last hope, if not a cure, but at least for slowing the aging process. Those who want to participate in the tests, it is necessary to take note of the following:

• Clinical trials - is one of the stages of a long, calibrated process of creating and studying new methods of treatment, diagnosis or prevention of cancer. Before a new drug study effects on man and his experience in laboratory animals, usually mice. However, drugs that are effective in experiments with animals, is not always good for the people.
• Participation in clinical trials has its advantages. Subjects receive a very high-quality medical care and, if the study treatment will be effective, they have an opportunity to be treated medication that will not soon be available a wide range of patients.
• In a clinical trial may be involved only patients who meet certain requirements. Typically, the subjects selected for such characteristics as the type and stage of cancer, age, sex, and so forth.

Participation in trials

Before you decide to participate in clinical trials, it is necessary to take into account the risks associated with this step. Test treatments are not always better, or at least no worse than standard therapies. They may have unexpected side effects. Before the patient will take the final decision, it receives detailed information on the potential benefits and risks associated with the study.

During clinical trials, which involved cancer patients placebo Placebo - an effective tool for self-hypnosis   very rarely used.

Many clinical trials are conducted in order to compare the standard (the best of the currently used) and new methods of treatment. The subjects were randomly divided into groups, the participants are treated with new or standard method.

Those who want to take part in a clinical trial, you should talk to your doctor or contact the major medical centers, where various tests are carried out frequently.