Have radiation Have radiation With external-beam radiation, the radiation is aimed at the cancer.
Both external-beam radiation and implants damage the vaginal epithelium and basal layer of the mucosa, leading to vaginal stenosis and vascular fibrosis.
For treating advanced prostate cancer that has grown beyond the prostate but not into lymph nodes or bones, external-beam radiation combined with hormone drugs can work better than surgery.
Many combinations of preoperative intracavitary and external-beam radiation therapy (EBRT) with hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy are used for treatment of stage II endometrial cancer, with careful biopsy of the para-aortic nodes at the time of surgery.
Fractionated external-beam radiation can also be used as primary treatment for tumors that are surgically unresectable, or for patients who are inoperable for medical reasons.
Radiation therapy (external-beam radiation with or without brachytherapy), however, has been reported to improve local control.
In general, radiation retinopathy is seen around 18 months after treatment with external-beam radiation and with brachytherapy.
An exposure to doses of 30-35 grays (Gy) or more is usually required to induce clinical symptoms, however, retinopathy may develop after as little as 15 Gy of external-beam radiation.
Conventional radiation is fractionated external-beam radiation with a recommended dose of 54 Gy to 55 Gy in 1.8 Gy fractions.
It is also called stereotactic external-beam radiation and stereotaxic radiation therapy.