Why does radiotherapy kill cancer cells

Show More. Login Register. Enjoying our content? Thanks for visiting Oncology Nurse Advisor. If you wish to read unlimited content, please log in or register below. Registration is free. Register for free and gain unlimited access to:. What is radiation therapy?

Continue Reading. Please login or register first to view this content. Open Next post in Fact Sheets Close. Your team may include these people:. You may also need the services of a dietitian, physical therapist, social worker, dentist or dental oncologist, pharmacist, or other health care providers. It has long been known that radiation therapy can slightly raise the risk of getting another cancer. For the most part, the risk of a second cancer from these treatments is small and is outweighed by the benefit of treating the cancer, but the risk is not zero.

This is one of the many reasons each case is different and each person must be part of deciding which kind of treatment is right for them. The risk is different depending on where the radiation treatment will be in the body. Still, this is your decision to make. Knowing as much as you can about the possible benefits and risks can help you be sure that radiation therapy is best for you.

If the area getting radiation in your body includes the ovaries, it is possible that the dose of radiation can cause the ovaries to no longer work sterility , and that you would be unable to have children. If you are thinking about radiation therapy that will affect the ovaries, talk to your doctor about how this might affect having children in the future.

Because of this, doctors often advise men to not get a woman pregnant during and for some weeks after treatment. Talk to your doctor to find out more about this.

If the area getting radiation includes the testicles, it is possible that the dose of radiation can cause the testicles to no longer work sterility and that you would be unable to have children. It is important to know the risk of this possibility in advance of receiving radiation therapy. There is no clear research about how sperm that is exposed to radiation affects future children made from that sperm. You can usually go home soon after external radiotherapy, but you may need to stay in hospital for a few days if you have implants or radioisotope therapy.

Most people have several treatment sessions, which are typically spread over the course of a few weeks. Read more about what happens during radiotherapy. As well as killing cancer cells, radiotherapy can damage some healthy cells in the area being treated. Updated January 8, Accessed August 5, Basics of radiation therapy. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Editorial team. Radiation therapy. One method uses radioactive seeds that are placed directly into or near the tumor.

This method is called brachytherapy , and is used to treat prostate cancer. It is used less often to treat breast, cervical, lung, and other cancers.

Another method involves receiving radiation by drinking it, swallowing a pill, or through an IV. Liquid radiation travels throughout your body, seeking out and killing cancer cells.