Radiation Therapy | Community Health

Radiation therapy, also known as radiotherapy, is a medical treatment that utilizes ionizing radiation to kill or control the growth of malignant cells, typically as part of cancer therapy. With a history dating back to the late 19th century, radiation therapy has evolved to become a crucial component of modern oncology, with over 14 million new cancer cases diagnosed worldwide each year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The therapy is usually delivered by a linear particle accelerator and can be curative for certain types of localized cancer, such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, and lung cancer, with a 5-year survival rate of up to 90% for some types of cancer. Radiation therapy is often used in conjunction with other treatments, including surgery and chemotherapy, and is synergistic with chemotherapy, as demonstrated by a study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. The American Cancer Society estimates that over 60% of cancer patients will undergo radiation therapy at some point during their treatment, highlighting the significance of this treatment in the fight against cancer.