Radiotherapy methods in patients managements - combination of radiotherapeutic modalities
Lets being with the types of radiotherapy:
- External beam radiation therapy
- A teletherapy radiation capsule delivers a two-dimensional beam of high energy x-rays from several directions.
- Contact x-ray brachytherapy
- Radiation using kilovoltage X-rays applied close to tumour to treat tumors such as rectal cancer. The x-ray tube is inserted into the rectum against the cancerous tissues where high dose x-rays are delivered
- Brachytherapy (sealed source radiotherapy)
- Radiation source is placed next to the cancer (but not directly in contact). Is the choice treatment for cervical, prostate, breast and skin cancer.
- Unsealed source radiotherapy (systemic radioisotope therapy)
- A form of targeted therapy (as with the previous two), uses the specific metabolic metabolic needs of the tumour, and supplies radioisotopes that meet that demand. We addressed this a few questions back.
- Intraoperative radiotherapy
- Basically, apply radiation while doing therapy, pretty straight forward concept.
- Deep inspiration breath-hold
- For treating left sided breast cancer, patient holds their breath so that the heart and lungs get a minimal hit of radiation.
A reminder that radiotherapy can be curative, neoadjunctive, adjunctive or palliative. As a method it is synergistic with chemotherapy and is used before, during and after chemotherapy in susceptible cancers.