| Each year cancer research programs continue to | | | | What to Expect When Entering Radiation Therapy |
| grow: funding increases, new technologies make | | | | Although there are many different types of radiation |
| year-old discoveries obsolete, and more doctors and | | | | treatments, radiosurgery focusing specifically on the |
| scientists contribute their ideas and methods to | | | | treatment of head, neck, and brain cancers, the side |
| understanding and eradicating cancer. As these | | | | effects of general radiotherapy and radiosurgery will |
| strides are made, more treatment options become | | | | be very similar. |
| available and fewer people are forced to endure | | | | With radiosurgery, because the radiation is focused |
| painful and invasive treatments. | | | | around the head and brain area, the patient can |
| Radiosurgery is a non-invasive, non-surgical treatment | | | | often expect to lose hair as a result of the |
| of brain cancer that allows doctors to direct beams | | | | treatment. Other side effects may include a |
| of radiation to precise locations in order to focus it | | | | reddening if the skin around the treated area where |
| directly over a brain tumor. This method can help | | | | the radiation beams are passed through, physical |
| treat and remove intracranial tumors that would | | | | fatigue (patients may feel tired more often than |
| otherwise not be accessible for open surgery. | | | | normal and sleep longer hours), nausea, and |
| Choosing radiosurgery as an option over more | | | | decreased immune response requiring that patients |
| invasive routines is the method of choice for some | | | | avoid being in public as much as possible to minimize |
| patients, but is more likely to be a necessity for | | | | the possibility of catching a virus or other sickness. |
| patients with certain types of tumors that are not | | | | When used to treat cancer, radiation therapy is often |
| easily accessed through open surgery -- such as skull | | | | administered in conjunction with surgery and |
| base tumors. | | | | chemotherapy. In operable cases, surgery may be |
| Radiosurgery often uses the Leksell Gamma Knife | | | | conducted to remove as much of the cancer as |
| which concentrates gamma radiation to the targeted | | | | possible, then treatment is followed up by radiation |
| portion of the patient's brain. The radiation is so | | | | therapy to kill any remaining cancer cells. The same is |
| concentrated that, while some residual radiation | | | | true of treatment in conjunction with chemotherapy. |
| exists, the vast majority of it is focused onto a | | | | In some cases, a combination of all three treatments |
| much smaller area, thus degenerating the affected | | | | will be used. In cases where the threat is not as |
| area and leaving the rest of the brain unaffected. | | | | immediate, radiation therapy alone may be the only |
| The Leksell Gamma Knife form of radiotherapy has | | | | treatment necessary. |
| been known to work with only one treatment. | | | | |