Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy is the use of ionizing radiation for therapeutic purposes. It is most often used to treat patients suffering from tumor diseases.

Radiation therapy is based on the biological action of ionizing radiation, which, when interacting with tissues, causes ionization in them and a subsequent chain of complex physicochemical and biochemical processes that disrupt the vital functions of irradiated tissues. The success of radiation therapy for malignant tumors is largely due to the fact that tumor tissue is more sensitive to the action of ionizing radiation than the surrounding healthy tissue.

Radiation therapy can be used either as a stand-alone treatment or in combination with other methods (called combined radiation therapy).

With combined radiation and surgical treatment methods, radiation can be given both before surgery (preoperative radiation therapy) and after it is performed (postoperative radiation therapy).

Irradiation of a tumor in the preoperative period is carried out in order to inhibit its growth and suppress the activity of tumor tissue, which significantly improves the results of surgery. In the postoperative period, radiation therapy is carried out with the aim of destroying the smallest remnants of tumor tissue and preventing the possibility of metastases.

The effectiveness of radiation therapy largely depends on patient compliance with the prescribed regimen. Before starting radiation therapy, as directed by the doctor, the oral cavity should be sanitized and existing chronic diseases treated.