“Can radiation cure cancer?”
I am a 50 year old male. I want to know if radiation can cure cancer?
3 Answers
I’m not a radiation therapist. As far as I know it is used to slow down certain types of cancer.
Yes it can...if cancer is early stage...but late stage cancer is usually not curable
In certain circumstances radiation treatments can cure cancer. In other circumstances, radiation treatments are performed for palliation, in order to reduce symptoms related to cancer, but not with the intent to cure the cancer.
An example in my experience is with liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma). Radiation in the form of a directed treatment through the artery supplying the liver and tumor is able to be curative in many circumstances. This therapy is called radioembolization and it can cure cancer in some cases. This treatment is also used in a palliative way in other circumstances.?
Other doctors also use radiation from an external beam to treat cancer. This is not within my specialty, but this type of radiation treatment can also be either curative or palliative.
Thank you for your question.
Adam Beardsley, M.D.
An example in my experience is with liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma). Radiation in the form of a directed treatment through the artery supplying the liver and tumor is able to be curative in many circumstances. This therapy is called radioembolization and it can cure cancer in some cases. This treatment is also used in a palliative way in other circumstances.?
Other doctors also use radiation from an external beam to treat cancer. This is not within my specialty, but this type of radiation treatment can also be either curative or palliative.
Thank you for your question.
Adam Beardsley, M.D.
