What Are the Benefits of Radiation and Chemotherapy?

Doctors use radiation therapy and chemotherapy treatments to fight cancer. Each of these treatments has benefits and may be used in combination to kill cancer tumor cells.

Radiation Benefits

According to the American Cancer Society, doctors use high energy beams of radiation to kill specifically targeted cancer tumor cells in one area of the body without exposing the rest of the body to radiation. Patents may receive radiation from external sources or from wires, pellets or seeds that are implanted inside the body.

Chemotherapy Benefits

Physicians use chemotherapy to kill cancer tumor cells throughout the body and fight cancer that has spread from one area of the body to other areas. Doctors select chemotherapy drugs or combinations of drugs that are effective for a patient's specific type of cancer.

Radiation Uses

Doctors commonly use radiation therapy as a primary source of treatment for cancers of the head and neck, lungs or bladder. Radiation therapy is often used to treat Hodgkin's disease.

Chemotherapy Drugs

More than 100 types of chemotherapy drugs are available for cancer treatment. Physicians may use combinations of drugs to prevent a patient's cancer from becoming resistant to treatment.

Combined Treatments

Patients may receive combinations of radiation therapy, chemotherapy and surgery to effectively fight aggressive cancer tumors.

References

• American Cancer Society: Questions About Radiation Therapy
• American Cancer Society: Learning About Chemotherapy Treatment