Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy may be offered:

as a complete treatment for some cancers,
or before surgery to reduce the size of a tumour, or
after surgery to make sure all the cancer cells are destroyed and to treat any cancer cells that may have spread around the site of the surgery, or
as a palliative treatment if cancer is advanced. In this case it can treat symptoms, such as pain caused by cancer that has spread to the bones.

Radiotherapy can also be given in conjunction with chemotherapy. You may find it useful to have a look at the radiotherapy room of the Virtual Hospital Departments from The Royal College of Radiologists. Most of the information in the sections listed below is about external beam radiotherapy. This is the most common type of radiotherapy treatment.

What is radiotherapy?
Why might I have radiotherapy?
Who will look after me when I go for treatment?
How can I help myself during treatment?
How long will my treatment last?
How long will each session last?
Will the treatment hurt?
Will I get any side-effects from radiotherapy?
How will my treatment be planned?
How should I prepare for treatment?
What is a treatment session like?
What questions might I ask my doctor, radiographer or nurse?
What will happen after my treatment has finished?
Where can I get more information?
Who else can help me?
Total body irradiation (TBI)