The internet is a cluster of an excessive amount of information that can be misguiding sometimes. The internet can be a complicated platform to use when you are searching for answers related to your cancer diagnosis.

Whether you navigating facts and misinformation about a particular treatment or you are bouncing from one page to another trying to learn about diagnosis, the answers available online can scare and confuse you. It’s not always easy to find all your answers online.

Therefore, today I will be discussing about radiation oncology and treatment and what patients can expect during the radiation treatment & the misinformation available online. 

Common Facts About Radiation Therapy

What is Radiation therapy? 
Radiation therapy or radiology is a common and well-regarded treatment used for cancer that uses beams of energy to kill the uncontrollable growth and division of cancer cells. Radiation therapy aims at damaging the DNA of the cancer cells so that the cells cannot continue to divide and grow. The treatment ensures complete cell death while sparing the normal cells as much as it can.

Radiation is generally given to patients in brief doses every day over the course of many weeks to ensure reduced side effects and the proper time for the body to repair some of the damage created by radiation. 

What are the types of radiation therapies?
There are two types of radiation therapies including external beam Radiation therapy and internal beam Radiation therapy or brachytherapy. The external beam Radiation therapy is carried out utilising X-rays from a machine called a linear accelerator that rotates around the patient and delivers radiation from different angles to reduce the size of the tumour inside the body. On the other hand, internal beam Radiation therapy involves using internal radiation that uses small radioactive sources placed inside the body to help kill cancer. Internal beam radiation therapies are generally used for cancers such as uterine, prostate, cervical and breast cancer. 

Oncology specialists determine the best type of radiation therapy suited for your condition and sometimes they might even recommend a combination of different treatments to help you fight cancer. 

Common Myths about Radiation Therapy

Will I become radioactive after taking the radiation treatment? 
If your course of treatment involves the delivery of radiation beam from outside the body, then your body will not become Radioactive after the treatment. When the body is administered with an external radiation beam therapy, the body stays Radioactive for the time when the radiation beam is on. As soon as the radiation beam turns off, there is no radiation left inside your body and so there is no risk of exposing your family or loved ones around you to the side effects of radiation. 

Even if your treatment involves internal beam Radiation therapy, your body will not become Radioactive. During an internal beam Radiation therapy, medical professionals place the radioactive source inside your body temporary. The radioactive source placed inside your body is removed before you go home and hence, there is no risk of exposure to those living around you. 

Will there be hair loss from radiation therapy? 
The side effects of any therapy are determined by the part of the human body that receives the radiation. If radiation therapy is being utilised to treat the brain, then the side effects might include hair loss. However, for radiation therapies that are given to the neck, loss of facial hair might be possible. Similarly, if a person receives radiation therapy in the pelvic region, they might experience hair loss in their pubic area. 

Can radiation burn the skin? 
Mostly, the risk of burning the skin due to radiation depends on the death of the tumour inside the body. For example, breast cancer involves giving Radiation therapy close to the skin surface. Therefore, radiation therapy closer to the skin surface leads to a higher risk of skin reaction or burns. This, however, can be taken care of with the help of your oncologist.

Can radiation increase my cancer? 
Any cancer treatment can lead to secondary cancer that can be formed several years after the treatment. However, this completely depends on your lifestyle and body. Fortunately, the condition of recurrent cancer is extremely rare when the diagnosis in the first time was efficient.