Everything you need to know about Radiotherapy
3,430 viewsRadiotherapy is a method capable of destroying tumor cells, using beam of ionizing radiation.
A pre-calculated dose of radiation is applied at a given time, a volume of tissue encompassing the tumor, seeking to eradicate all tumor cells, with the least possible damage to surrounding normal cells at the expense of which will make the regeneration the irradiated area.
Ionising radiation is electromagnetic or corpuscular and carry energy. To interact with the tissues, giving rise to fast electrons that ionize the medium and create effects such as chemical hydrolysis of the water and break the chains of DNA. Cell death can then occur by various mechanisms, since the inactivation of vital systems for the cell to its inability to reproduce.
The response of tissues to radiation depends on several factors, such as the tumor sensitivity to radiation, its location and oxygenation, as well as the quality and quantity of radiation and the total time in which it is administered.
For the biological effect reaches a greater number of cancer cells and normal tissue tolerance is met, the total dose of radiation to be administered is usually split in equal daily doses, when using external therapy.