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Treatment Types

The goal of radiation therapy is to deliver enough radiation to kill the cancer cells while preventing permanent damage to surrounding healthy tissue. Depending on the location, size and type of cancer, you may receive one or a combination of techniques. Your treatment team will help you decide which treatments are best for you.
What is Radiation Therapy Cancer Types
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Brachytherapy

Brachytherapy is the placement of radioactive sources in or just next to a tumor. During brachytherapy, the radioactive sources may be left in place permanently or only temporarily, depending upon your cancer.
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External Beam Radiation Therapy

External Beam Radiation Therapy uses a machine to generate a beam of high-energy radiation that travels from the machine and is directed towards specific parts of the body. There are many different types of radiation therapy that can all deliver external beam treatments.
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Geriatric Oncology

Geriatric Oncology is “the branch of medicine that studies tumors in older adults.”
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Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a treatment that uses the patient’s own immune system to help fight the cancer. Treatment will either stimulate the immune system to attack cancer cells or provide the immune system with what it needs, such as antibodies, to fight the cancer cells.
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Radiopharmaceutical Therapy

Radiopharmaceutical Therapy (RPT) is treatment that uses injected or ingested radioactive material to target and treat certain types of cancer. 
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Stereotactic Radiation Therapy

Stereotactic Radiatoon Therapy is a technique that allows your radiation oncologist to precisely focus beams of radiation to destroy certain types of tumors. It is sometimes called radiosurgery. 
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Palliative Care

Palliative care (also known as supportive care) strives to improve the quality of life of people with serious illnesses, including cancer. Palliative care is available to people with cancer of any age or with any stage of cancer.
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Alternative Cancer Therapies

Alternative and complementary therapies are non-mainstream medical practices. Alternative therapies are used instead of proven cancer treatments. Complementary therapies are used together with proven cancer therapies.
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Additional Treatment Options

Cancer care often involves more than one type of treatment. In addition to radiation therapy, patients may receive other options designed to target cancer cells, boost the effectiveness of treatment or protect healthy tissue. These all work in different ways to support a comprehensive treatment plan.
More Patient Resources
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What is Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy, or radiotherapy, is the use of various forms of radiation to safely and effectively treat cancer and other diseases. Radiation therapy works by damaging the genetic material within cancer cells.
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Clinical Trials

Cancer specialists regularly conduct studies to test new treatments. These studies are called clinical trials. Clinical trials are available through cancer doctors everywhere — not just in major cities, university centers or in large hospitals.
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Cancer Types

Every cancer journey is different. Explore how radiation therapy can help across many cancer types and find resources specific to your diagnosis.

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