Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy

When we think of cancer treatment, the treatments that come to mind are surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. An analysis made in 2005; reports that 49% of cancer patients recovered with surgery, 40% with radiotherapy, and 11% with chemotherapy. Cancer patients who are detected at an early stage without spreading are treated with local treatments called radiotherapy or surgery, and most of the time, cure is provided. However, chemotherapy comes into play in locally advanced or metastatic cancers, and then things get a little more complicated. At this point, cancer is now a treatable and, more importantly, preventable disease. One of the main actors of this success is undoubtedly Radiation Oncology.

Everyone gets their share from science and technology, but we are one of the groups that change the way they do business the most. With advances in radiotherapy devices, we were able to focus on the target tumor with maximum precision. With the increase in this sensitivity, both side effects decreased and we had the chance to control the disease by applying higher doses. At this point, we achieve the effect of surgery in many diseases in a painless, painless and bloodless way with a technique such as radiosurgery. It would not be wrong to say that we are the starting point of personalized cancer treatments, as it is a discipline that evaluates the patient correctly and gives the right treatments at the right time, unlike the systemic treatments where standard protocols are applied to almost everyone.

As our knowledge of cancer biology increased, the importance of local treatments increased and we applied radiotherapy to more and more patients. In addition, when it was understood that the immunological effect of radiotherapy, that is, it stimulates the immune system, we became an indispensable part of systemic treatments for many patients. In short, we fulfill our role in the best way at every stage, from diagnosis to treatment and post-treatment follow-up.

How is radiotherapy applied?

Radiotherapy, also known as radiation therapy or beam therapy, is applied in devices that produce high-energy X-rays. The aim is to minimize the dose to the surrounding normal tissue as much as possible, while giving the maximum dose to the target, that is, the diseased tissue. The dose given and the technique to be applied may vary depending on the location and extent of the disease, previous treatments and the general condition of the patient.

In good hands, it is a very effective form of treatment when applied well. But like surgery, it needs to be done well. Otherwise, even a bad surgery can be reversible, but it will not be possible to recover the dose given. Especially when techniques such as radiosurgery and intensity modulated radiotherapy are applied, irreversible organ damage may occur if it is not given to the appropriate place and at the appropriate dose.

Radiation therapy:

As a stand-alone treatment,
Shrinking the tumor before surgery,
To eliminate the microscopic or macroscopic disease remaining after surgery,
To pass the complaints such as bleeding and pain,
To increase the effectiveness of immunotherapies by taking advantage of its immunological effect
for our purposes.

How does radiotherapy work?

Radiation either stops the reproduction of the cells in the place where it is applied or kills them completely. It performs this effect through DNA damage. Normal cells are also affected, but since DNA repair mechanisms work more effectively in normal cells, they can repair themselves. In order for normal tissues to repair themselves, it is necessary to keep the dose they are exposed to as low as possible. For this, a radiotherapy device and a radiotherapy team are needed.

We administer radiotherapy in three main ways:
•   External (external) radiotherapy
•   Brachytherapy (internal radiotherapy)
•   Intraoperative (during the operation) radiotherapy

Among these methods, external radiotherapy is the most commonly applied. In this method, an external beam is used as a radiation source outside the patient.

Possible side effects of radiotherapy

Side effects that individuals show generally depend on the area being treated and the characteristics of the disease. However, the total dose is also related to factors such as the amount of dose in each fraction and the sensitivity of the individual's cells to radiotherapy.

In addition, other types of treatment that the patient receives, if any, are also an effective factor at this point. Usually, the tissues may swell during radiotherapy. Edema formation is seen. Vomiting and nausea may occur with radiation applied to the abdominal region. In the treatment of the head and neck area, sores may occur in the throat and mouth. In the treatment of the thorax, inflammation may occur in the esophagus (esophagus).

These events can cause difficulty in swallowing, namely dysphagia and dehydration. Radiotherapy to the lower abdomen can cause some problems in the urinary tract and intestines. edema treatment  after the process, it decreases and the side effects disappear.

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