Is radiation therapy painful

What to Expect after Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer This technique uses advanced image guided techniques to deliver large doses of radiation to a precise area, such as the prostate. Because there are large doses of radiation in each dose, the entire course of treatment is given over just a few days. SBRT is often known by the names of the machines that deliver the radiation, such as Gamma Knife, X-Knife, CyberKnife, and Clinac. The main advantage of SBRT over IMRT is that the treatment takes less time . The side effects, though, are not better. In fact, some research has shown that some side effects might actually be worse with SBRT than with IMRT. Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy Or Stereotactic Ablative Radiation Therapy Guided by advanced imaging techniques, SBRT delivers large doses of radiation over a short period of time to a precise area. SBRT is commonly referred to by the names of the machines used to deliver the radiation. SBRT can offer some patients with localized prostate cancer the convenience of fewer treatments while maintaining treatment effectiveness and safety. SBRT may also be used to treat metastases for some patients to reduce tumor mass and potentially enhance survival. Side Effects Of Prostate Cancer Radiotherapy Radiotherapy to the prostate can cause some side effects, such as loose or watery poo and passing urine more often. Side effects tend to start a week or 2 after the radiotherapy begins. They gradually get worse during the treatmen...

The information here focuses on primary bone cancers (cancers that start in bones) that most often are seen in adults. Information on Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays or particles to kill cancer cells. For most types of bone cancer, the cancer cells are not easily killed by radiation, so high doses are needed. This can damage nearby healthy tissues, including key structures (like nerves and blood vessels) in the area. Because of this, radiation therapy isn't used as a main treatment for most types of bone tumors (although it's often used for External beam radiation therapy is radiation delivered from outside the body that's focused on the cancer. This is the type of radiation therapy used most often to treat bone cancer. Before treatment starts, the radiation team takes careful measurements of the area to be treated with imaging tests such as MRI scans to determine the correct angles for aiming the radiation beams and the proper dose of radiation. This planning session is called simulation. Most often, radiation is given in more than one treatment. Each treatment is much like getting an x-ray, although the dose of radiation is much higher. The treatment is not painful. For each session, you lie on a special table while a machine delivers the radiation from precise angles. Each treatment lasts only a few minutes, although the setup time – getting you into place for treatment – usually takes longer. When might radiation therapy be used? Radiation therapy might be used...

Breast cancer can be treated in a variety of ways, including with Depending on your cancer type and stage, radiation can be used alone as a treatment for breast cancer, or with other therapies. There are different types and schedules of radiation therapy for breast cancer, and knowing more about it and what to expect can help you prepare for this treatment. According to the Radiation kills or slows the growth of cancer cells. While it also affects nearby healthy cells, the healthy cells typically recover after the course of radiation treatment has ended. Doctors try to protect healthy cells by: • using as low a dose of radiation as possible • spreading out treatment over time • aiming the radiation at a very specific part of your body The most common type of radiation therapy is external beam radiation, according to the With external beam radiation, a machine directs high energy beams of radiation at the area where the cancer cells have been found. Radiation therapy can be used in a variety of instances for breast cancer treatment. It can be used: • after • after a • the tumor was larger than 5 centimeters • there was cancer in your lymph nodes • the margins were positive • to help ease side effects if the cancer spreads to other areas of your body like your bones or brain Depending on the type of breast cancer and the cancer stage, it can be used with other cancer treatments like surgery and There are two main types of radiation therapy: external beam radiation and intern...

Radiation therapy may be lifesaving, but it can also cause short-term and long-term side effects. Radiation therapy is one of the most common treatments for prostate cancer. It’s commonly used to treat prostate cancer in earlier stages but has been used in later stages as well. Three types of • External beam therapy: External beam radiation therapy involves aiming beams of radiation from a machine outside of your body. • Brachytherapy: • Radiopharmaceuticals: Radiopharmaceuticals are radioactive drugs that are injected into a vein. The drugs travel through your bloodstream and give off radiation that kills cancer cells. Radiation therapy can be potentially lifesaving, but it can also cause short-term or long-term side effects. Here’s a look at some of the potential side effects and how long you can expect them to last. Radiation therapy side effects often start in the External beam radiation therapy side effects External beam radiation therapy can lead to: • radiation • • • • • • • • radiation • • • • • • • • Brachytherapy side effects Potential side effects of brachytherapy include: • bowel problems • urinary problems • erectile dysfunction If you receive high-dose brachytherapy, you may have pain or swelling between your scrotum and rectum. Your urine may also turn reddish-brown. If you have low-dose brachytherapy, there’s a risk of: • setting off airport detection systems • seeds passing out of your body through your urine • seeds moving through your bloodstream to othe...

Pain You might have pain in your pelvis (the area between the hip bones) after radiotherapy. This can happen sometime after your radiotherapy has finished. Let your health care team know if you have any pain during or after your treatment. Possible reasons for pain can include: Infection Bladder infections can cause pain and can be common after pelvic radiotherapy. The pain is usually worse when the bladder is full. Or when you are passing urine. If you have a bladder infection your urine might be cloudy or smelly or have small amounts of blood. You might also feel ill, have a high temperature or feel sick. Your doctor might arrange a test to check your urine. This is called a midstream urine (MSU) test. Your doctor can then prescribe the correct antibiotic if you do have an infection. Bowel changes Radiotherapy can cause bowel changes, such as cramps and constipation. Cramps (spasm) of the muscles lining the bowel can cause pain. This type of pain is made worse when you open your bowels. The pain might come in waves. Constipation or a narrowing of the back passage (an anal stricture) can cause pain. Sometimes the pain can be due to a split in the skin of the anus known as a fissure. A fissure causes a very sharp and intense pain when you open your bowels. Your doctor might ask you to have an examination of the bowel after radiotherapy to find out whether there are any changes. This is done by putting a flexible tube into the bowel (a flexible sigmoidoscopy). A specialist ...

Radiation therapy is an effective treatment that kills prostate cancer cells by using high energy rays or particles. The radiation can be delivered in several ways, including brachytherapy (using seeds that are implanted in the patient’s body) and external beam radiation that projects the energy through the skin. Radiation therapy for prostate cancer is best delivered by experienced radiation oncologists who work in high volume centers of excellence. Radiation therapy can: • Treat both early stage cancers of the prostate gland and more advanced cancers that may have spread beyond the prostate • Be used alone or with other treatments such as hormone deprivation • Treat recurrent prostate cancer following surgery • Treat men with limited spreading (oligometastatic) prostate cancer to reduce the tumor’s size and improve survival and quality of life • Slow cancer growth, reduce fracture risk • Be used as a palliative treatment to address pain from advanced cancer Types of Radiation Therapy to Treat Prostate Cancer External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT) This is the most common type of radiation therapy, and it is painless. Before treatment, your radiation team will use computerized tomography (CT) scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to map out the location of the prostate and tumor cells. During each treatment session, X-ray beams are focused on the targeted cancer areas. Oncologists can change the intensity of doses and radiation beams to better deliver high doses...