Radiation

Radiation therapy helps fight cancer by causing enough damage to the DNA of cancer cells to kill them or stop them from dividing.

Radiation therapy can be delivered using different types of radiation, such as:

• X-rays
• Gamma rays
• Charged particles

Because radiation therapy can potentially hurt nearby healthy cells, our specialists in radiation therapy use state-of-the-art tools to precisely deliver radiation where it will be most effective and create the least amount of harm and discomfort.

Radiation can be delivered internally or externally.

• Internal radiation therapy, also called brachytherapy, is when radioactive material is put in the body near the cancer cells or when it travels through the blood to get rid of cancer cells.
• External-beam radiation therapy is delivered with a machine from outside the body, and focused on tissue deep within the body.

Radiation therapy treatment begins with scans of your body.

These scans determine the exact position of the cancer and the safest way to deliver the radiation to that area. Our team of therapists include dosimetrists, who work with your radiation oncologist to design the exact details of your radiation plan, including the doses of radiation needed to harm the cancer cells and preserve nearby healthy cells.

Which type of radiation therapy will you receive?

Your radiation oncologist will prescribe the type of radiation therapy needed based on

• The cancer’s type, size, and location
• Proximity of the cancer to normal tissues sensitive to radiation
• Your age, general health, and medical history
• Whether you will have other types of cancer treatment

Holden’s excellence makes a difference in delivering your radiation therapy.

Our approach to radiation therapy is among the most advanced in the nation. Our teams include scientists who are specially trained in radiation dosing and its effect on healthy and diseased tissue. We employ innovative techniques to deliver the most effective doses to the precise location, including over multiple therapy sessions.