Radiation Oncology

In the same way as with chemotherapy or any other oncological treatment alternative, radiation oncology offers options according to the type of cancer, its stage and location. In addition to this, knowledge of the patient's general conditions and the response that his or her body is developing to other treatments will make it possible to adapt the type of radiotherapy to his or her real needs.

In any case, oncologic radiology becomes an executing arm to fight cancer from a curative or palliative approach; and depending on the previous analysis, it will be possible to apply one of the following types of therapy:

External radiation therapy

Basically, this is the best known form of radiotherapy, in which the rays are directed to the specific area of the body where the tumor is located, without any other type of intervention on the patient. For this purpose, the specialist determines the exact region where the treatment should be applied (simulation), after having performed a physical examination and having analyzed the results of other complementary tests.

While this is taking place, the patient will remain seated or lying down in a specific position that should not be altered during its application unless so directed by the physician or his technical support staff. During the application of the external radiotherapy treatment, daily sessions are usually established with a rest of one or two days, in cycles of 6 to 8 weeks; during which time the specialist will carry out the follow-up and the adjustments that he/she considers necessary. Finally, the total dose of application varies according to the type of cancer and the ultimate purpose of the therapy, which may be curative, adjuvant or palliative, as determined by the treating medical team.

Internal radiation therapy

On the other hand, internal radiotherapy or brachytherapy is a form of treatment that works from inside the patient's body. In particular, to treat these cases, radioactive isotopes are implanted in the patient's body, which are responsible for emitting radiation continuously and with greater intensity, in a much more specific area.

For this reason, depending on the particular case, the intervention is scheduled in the operating room under general or local anesthesia (which may be temporary or permanent). During this procedure a special applicator or catheter is used and with the support of imaging studies, the exact location where it should be implanted is determined. For this purpose, there are 2 different techniques:

• Interstitial brachytherapy.

  In these cases, the source of the radiation (implant) is located inside the tumor itself or very close to it. An example of the applicability of this type of therapy is presented with prostate cancer.

• Intracavitary brachytherapy.

  The implant is placed inside a body cavity where the tumor has developed, for example in the uterus, for the treatment of cervical cancer.

Obviously, this is related to the type of therapy being applied. Therefore, temporary implants can be removed after a few minutes or after a few days; while permanent implants, as their name indicates, remain in the body even after they have lost their radioactivity. As a result of this differentiation, in radiation oncology it is possible to identify the following types of therapy according to their application:

High-dose brachytherapy

Although it is a technique that strongly attacks the cancer, the implant must be removed from the patient after 10 - 20 minutes.

Although in this type of therapy the radioactive material is not left in the body, the applicator may be left in place until the end of the cycle or placed before each session; which may include possible repetitions up to 2 times per day depending on the type of cancer being treated.

At the same time, these patients may remain hospitalized at the discretion of the treating physician and may require special preventive measures.

Low-dose brachytherapy

On the other hand, this type of radiotherapy emits lower doses of radiation, which are applied for a longer period of time and allow the implant to remain in the patient's body, in some cases indefinitely.

This is why the individual will probably have to remain in the hospital, confined to a special room to avoid the spread of radiation to third parties; and may even be instructed to remain immobile so that the implant does not move.

However, there are seed implants that are especially small and whose purpose is to remain in the body. In these cases, you can return home even the same day; complying with the indications and precautions that the specialist will let you know.

As a result of the placement of an implant, it is likely that the patient may present stomach discomfort, some dizziness or weakness. However, in the event of other types of alterations, pain or other problems caused by the therapy, it is advisable to consult with the expert in oncologic radiology in search of an alternative to help counteract these discomforts.

• Follow the specialist's instructions. Depending on the type of therapy provided to the patient, the physician will indicate if there are specific restrictions regarding visits and in general the conditions for establishing contact with other people.
• Care of your personal hygiene. Washing the skin with water and neutral soap, avoiding the use of perfumes and antiseptics (alcohol, hydrogen peroxide...); favors the effectiveness of the treatment.
• Do not wear tight-fitting clothing. As far as possible, clothing should not strangle the body at any point. In addition, the area of skin that will be exposed should be in contact only with cotton fabrics.
• Protected sexual intercourse. Even though it is possible to have sexual relations during the treatment phase; on the other hand, pregnancy is not recommended. Thus, in case the patient feels in perfect condition and there is no physical restriction, the use of some type of contraceptive method is recommended.