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Radiation is a special kind of energy carried by waves or a stream of particles. When radiation is used at very high levels it can be used to treat cancer and other illnesses. High levels of radiation can kill cells or keep them from growing and dividing. Cancer cells grow and divide more rapidly than many of the normal cells around them and so are very vulnerable to radiation.
Radiation therapy is an effective way to treat many kinds of cancer in almost any part of the body. Very special techniques are used to make sure that cancer cells are destroyed by the radiation while healthy tissue is protected. About half of all people with cancer are treated with radiation.
Radiation therapy is given by an expert team, which includes physicists, dosimetrists, nurses and therapists. A physician called a radiation oncologist leads the team.
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