Radiation therapy is the kind of treatment that uses high energy rays to kill cancer cells. There are different types of radiation therapy like:
External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT)
In this type of radiation, the radiation is focused from outside the body through a machine. The process is a lot like getting an X-ray and the amount of radiation given depends on different factors. Radiation is usually given over a course of few days. External beam radiation cannot be given on high doses as liver cells are quite sensitive to radiation and the normal tissue might get damaged in the process. The procedure of radiation is painless and lasts for very less time, however, getting the patient ready for radiation takes longer as the radiation team will have to mark correct angles to aim the radiation beams at.
With radiation having newer techniques, doctors have found targeting tumors easier while reducing side effects.
Stereotactic body radiotherapy
In this kind of radiation therapy, very focused beams of high does radiation are aim at the tumor from many angles. To precisely target the radiation, the body is put into a specially designed body frame for each treatment.
Radioembolization
In this procedure, tumors in the liver are treated by injecting small amounts of radioactive beads into the hepatic artery. In this procedure small amounts of radiation are given and it only travels a short distance.
