A cancer diagnosis is a terrible moment, made more difficult by worry and unanswered concerns. In many cases, doctors will recommend radiation therapy as a means of treating cancer because of the positive outcomes shown in early-stage cases. There are many good reasons why radiation therapy is an increasingly common type of treatment, such as the fact that it is non-invasive, less harmful to organ function, and has fewer side effects. Even the cost of radiation therapy is often more affordable. While feeling nervous about undergoing cancer treatment is normal, dispelling certain misconceptions about radiation in cancer care might help you feel more at ease before procedures. Your radiation oncologist Surprise can help you debunk some of the following myths:
Using radiation treatment will result in baldness.
Hair loss during radiation treatment is a major concern because of the psychological toll it may have on patients. Hair loss and other radiation-related side effects often depend on the body part being treated. Patients having radiation therapy to the head or scalp, as is common in treating brain cancer, are at an increased risk of experiencing hair loss. Fortunately, hair loss is generally transitory, and your hair will likely grow back after radiation treatment.
All cancer patients need radiation therapy
Radiation therapy is an integral element of the treatment strategies for more than half of cancer patients. High radiation levels eliminate cancer cells, but your unique cancer diagnosis will determine whether you need it. Your oncology team will tailor a treatment strategy for you and your disease. It involves determining whether radiation therapy might be helpful.
While it is most successful against solid tumor malignancies, radiation therapy may also be useful against certain forms of lymphoma and leukemia. This therapy may alleviate symptoms and enhance the quality of life when cancer has metastasized (spread) to other body parts.
Radiation therapy (RT) causes discomfort
If you are having radiation therapy, you will not experience discomfort, warmth, or heat since it is painless. However, RT may cause skin irritation, redness, and throat/mouth ulcers (which can be painful).
People around you are at risk from radiation therapy
When you hear the term “radiation,” you may feel uneasy and start seeing yourself as a radioactive entity that emits radiation and harms others nearby. However, getting treated using radio waves won’t spread your condition to anyone in the area. Your radiotherapy oncologist will give you a dose that will be absorbed by your tissues immediately and have no long-term effects. When you leave the treatment area, you may return to being around your loved ones, even children and expectant mothers.
Oncologists often turn to radiation therapy to eradicate cancer or reduce its size to make subsequent therapies, such as chemotherapy or surgery, more successful. Radiation therapy is a welcome reprieve from the agony and discomfort of chemotherapy and surgery when used to treat cancer. The debunked myths demonstrate that radiation is a viable alternative to cancer treatment, and you have nothing to fear. So are you looking for a dependable center where you can get radiation treatment? Contact the Arizona Center for Cancer Care.