Mesothelioma Law

Radiation Treatment for Mesothelioma and other Types of Cancer

Radiation therapy for mesothelioma and other forms of cancer is one of the oldest treatments and also called irradiation, radiotherapy, and x-ray therapy depending on the type of radiation used and the way that the radiation is delivered. Radiation therapy is used to destroy the genetic material in cancer cells so that the cells cannot divide, multiply, and create larger tumors. Often used in combination with other cancer treatments such as surgery and chemotherapy, some type of radiation therapy is used in approximately fifty percent of cancer patients and has been somewhat effective for destroying cancerous tumors and limiting their ability to grow.

Types of Radiation Treatment

The type of radiation used and the duration of the treatment is highly dependent on several factors including the size of the tumor, the stage of the cancer, the health and age of the patient, the cancer’s location in the body, and a great many more. Types of radiation treatment include:

• External radiation therapy – Usually conducted on an outpatient basis, external radiation therapy is performed on a wide range of different types of cancer. Often applied in combination with cancer surgery, external radiation refers to a broad range of different types of radiation therapy.
• Internal radiation therapy – Also called brachytherapy, internal radiation therapy applies radiation as closely as possible near or inside a cancerous tumor via an implant that comes in several forms. Two major subcategories of internal radiation include interstitial radiation therapy and intracavitary (intraluminal) radiation therapy.
• Systemic radiation therapy – This form of radiation therapy involves the actual introduction of radioactive materials such as iodine 131 or strontium 89 into the body through ingestion or injection. These materials travel throughout the body and gradually decay and are eliminated through natural processes such as perspiration, excretion, saliva, and others.

Sources of the Radiation used in Radiation Therapy

As mentioned previously, the type of radiation used and the duration of the treatment are dependent on a variety of factors but they all essentially attempt to accomplish the same goal: Destroying the cancer’s ability to grow. Radiation therapy sources include a wide range of different types of radiation but the main categories are:

• X-Rays – A form of electromagnetic radiation, x-rays are packets of energy (photons) directed at a specific area in varying degrees of intensity by a machine called a linear accelerator.
• Gamma Rays – Also a form of electromagnetic radiation, gamma rays are produced when some radioactive elements release radiation as they decay. The amount of radiation released and the rate of decay is dependent on the element which also affects how deeply gamma rays can penetrate tissue.
• Particle Beams – Also called particulate radiation, particle beams are made of sub-atomic particles produced by a variety of different devices. Particle beams are most often used to treat cancerous tissue on or just below the surface of the skin.
• Proton Beam Therapy – A variant of particle beam therapy, the protons in proton beam therapy release their energy in a very small area which allows specialists to deliver radiation with great precision.

Radiation therapy for cancer has been around for decades with new treatment options and applications being developed on an ongoing basis. As researchers learn more about treating cancer with different types of radiation in increasingly precise doses, the effectiveness of radiation therapy is expected to increase and extend the lives of people suffering from mesothelioma and other cancers.