Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy is the treatment of cancer and other diseases with high energy (ionising) radiation. Ionising radiation damages or destroys cells in the area being treated making it impossible for the cancer cells to continue to grow and multiply. Most radiotherapy is delivered from the outside of the body (external beam radiotherapy) usually in the form of high energy X-rays or sometimes as Gamma rays. For certain cancers a radioactive implant can be placed next to the tumour inside the body (internal radiotherapy). As radiotherapy can damage normal cells as well as cancer cells there can be potential side effects, these may depend on the radiotherapy dose, site(s) of treatment, age and other factors.