Radiotherapy is widely used treating cancer, alongside Chemotherapy. It works by using ionizing radiation to cause damage to the DNA of cancer cells, eventually killing them. Nearby cells can also be damaged in this process but are more likely to recover.
If your doctors feel you need radiotherapy, a course will be devised specifically for you which takes into account the size and extent of your tumour, and your general health.
Almost half of all people with cancer have radiotherapy as part of their treatment plan which is why Ramsay Health Care have partnered with GenesisCare who are world experts in the delivery of external beam radiotherapy. They are the largest private provider in the UK and Australia delivering 350,000 treatments worldwide each year.
GenesisCare has installed a state of the art linear accelerator, which focuses high-energy radiation beams onto the area requiring treatment at Springfield hospital, part of Ramsay Health Care, offering a range of screening and diagnostic procedures at a time convenient to you.
We offer the support of multi-disciplinary teams who will be working together to ensure you get the care which is right for you.
There are different types of radiotherapy, your doctor will recommend the type which is specifically right for you.
External beam radiation - where the radiation source is outside your body and is focused on the tumour - you will typically have treatment several times a week for up to six weeks, although there is great variation around this. You may have to attend for a planning session when it will be decided exactly where you will be treated with radiotherapy and the best position for you to lie in. In some cases, moulds are made to hold parts of your body still.
Internal radiotherapy where radioactive materials are implanted into the body to cause damage to the tumour. This can be a very effective treatment (see brachytherapy).
With advanced cancers, radiotherapy is sometimes given to control symptoms and improve quality of life. This is called palliative radiotherapy and is not designed to cure the cancer. Palliative radiotherapy tends to be given as a much shorter course than normal radiotherapy.
Being treated with radiotherapy can be a long, time-consuming process. But it can be a very effective way of killing or shrinking your cancer. It is often used after you have had the tumour removed surgically to ensure that every last cancer cell has been killed. This should lessen the chance of cancer reoccurring. Doctors don’t recommend radiotherapy lightly - they know it is a testing time for patients - but believe that for many patients it offers the best chance of getting rid of their cancer entirely.
How people feel after radiotherapy varies. Some will barely notice they have had it while others will not feel well enough to do everyday things. It is quite common to feel very tired and even fluey - which may indicate the body is repairing healthy cells. Some people who have radiotherapy also develop anaemia - a low red blood cell count - which can also make them feel tired.
If your doctors recommend radiotherapy, they will be able to give you advice on likely side-effects and how they can be managed. Most side-effects are only temporary.
Julie Marson MP, Member of Parliament for Hertford and Stortford and the former Employment Minister, recently visited Rivers Hospital in Hertfordshire to meet local doctors, nurses and staff to see how the hospital is providing high quality healthcare for local people.
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