Page 25 - Inspire Magazine 2019
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of this treatment is to stop the growth of the cancer
or even destroy it with a chance of cure.
The treatment itself is totally painless, although some
patients may find the treatment table hard and slight-
ly uncomfortable.
Radiation used in medical treatment is given in
carefully measured doses. The aim is to target all
tissues that could possibly contain cancer cells while
minimising the dose to the normal tissue.
The radiation does not stay in the body after
treatment, so it’s safe for patients to mix as normal
with family and friends.
As with all treatments, there may be side effects.
damage to surrounding parts of the body. People having radiotherapy often feel much more
tired than normal. Changes in skin, breathing and
One example is SABR (Stereotactic Ablative Body appetite are sometimes experienced during
Radiotherapy), sometimes called SBRT (Stereotactic treatment. The cancer team can advise on ways to
Body Radiotherapy), used to treat early stage lung manage these.
cancer when surgery isn’t an option due to a
person’s health. During treatment, patients will be checked every
week or two by a cancer doctor, radiographer or
This is an effective way of giving highly accurate high specialist nurse, and any problems can be discussed
dose radiotherapy with fewer treatments over a with them.
shorter time than standard radiotherapy. SABR uses
either many beams of radiation directed from Patients having radical (curative) radiotherapy will
different angles that meet at the tumour or the normally have a scan between three and six months
beam moves in an arc around the tumours. after treatment is finished, following which the
patient and their cancer team will discuss the results.
Currently this treatment is available in the UK at
designated cancer centres. We’ve said it before, and it’s worth repeating –
this is an exciting era for treatments and therapies
Conventional fractionated radiotherapy is given as in lung cancer and developments in the use of INSPIRE 2019
daily treatments lasting up to six weeks. The purpose radiotherapy have key roles to play.
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