Radiotherapy explained

Radiotherapy uses high-energy rays to treat cancer. Radiotherapy is used to cure some types of cancer or to relieve symptoms.

Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy uses high-energy rays (radiation) to treat cancer.
Side effects of radiotherapy
Radiotherapy can cause side effects. Your radiography team will give you advice or medicines to help manage them.
Your radiotherapy team
A team of specialists are involved in planning and giving your radiotherapy.
Radiotherapy masks
During most types of radiotherapy to the brain, head or neck, you wear a mask to help you lie still.
Pelvic radiotherapy
Radiotherapy treats cancer by using high-energy rays to destroy the cancer cells. Using radiotherapy to treat cancer in the pelvis is called pelvic radiotherapy.
External beam radiotherapy
External beam radiotherapy is given from a radiotherapy machine outside the body.
Internal radiotherapy
Internal radiotherapy uses a radioactive material that is put inside the body to treat cancer.
Proton beam therapy
Proton beam therapy is a type of external beam radiotherapy. It is only suitable for a small number of people.
Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR)
Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) is a way of giving radiotherapy to precisely target certain cancers.
Selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT)
Selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) uses radioactive beads to treat cancer in the liver.

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