“Is radiotherapy an alternative to chemotherapy?”
For cancer treatment, is radiotherapy an alternative option for chemotherapy? What factors determine that a cancer would be treated with radiotherapy instead?
3 Answers
It can be used for few cancers such as early stage Hodgkin's disease (stage I or II) stage I lymphoma or head and neck. Type and location of tumor.
In some instances. Best discussed with a medical oncologist.
Dear Patient/Patient Advocate,
You have posed a very interesting question. However, the answer is quite complex, as detailed information regarding the cancer in question would need to be ascertained and thoroughly reviewed, prior to rendering a definitive response.
I can clearly state however, that in general, for most cancers, our treatment algorithm very rarely offers the choice between radiation versus/or chemotherapy.
The answer lies in the following explanation:
There are three main types of treatment modalities that can be employed to treat cancer.
These are namely :
1) Surgery
2) Systemic treatments such as chemotherapy, hormonal or immunotherapy and
3) Radiation Therapy
Surgery is considered local treatment- but is invasive, as it involves the excision/removal of the tumor from the body, either partially or completely.
Chemotherapy and other types of systemic treatment, by nature of the route of administration (by mouth or intravenously (via the veins) , are not local, but are diffusely distributed throughout the body, except for sites that are considered impermeable to most systemic agents, such as the blood-brain barrier.
Radiation therapy, specifically EBRT (external beam radiation therapy) is, like surgery, also considered local treatment. However, unlike surgery, external beam radiation therapy is non-invasive.
The type(s) or modality (modalities) of treatment(s) recommended for cancer is/are determined by the cancer histology/ the type of cancer.
For example, in the case of breast cancer, surgery is usually recommended, and is therefore the mainstay treatment for breast cancer. However, other factors determine whether or not chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy should be prescribed. These factors include, but are not limited to: the stage of the cancer, status of surgical margins (some or all tumor removed), and expression of certain receptors (estrogen, progesterone, human epidermal growth factor 2); as well as the age of the patient, patient performance status, and the presence of other medical comorbidities such as heart disease.
So, in conclusion, although not all treatment modalities are necessary for all cancers, the decision regarding the type (s) of treatment applied to any cancer diagnosis is dictated by the standard of care for the specific cancer in question. As noted above, several other factors may also influence the final course of treatment.
I hope the details presented above adequately address your question.
Sincerely,
Dr. EB
You have posed a very interesting question. However, the answer is quite complex, as detailed information regarding the cancer in question would need to be ascertained and thoroughly reviewed, prior to rendering a definitive response.
I can clearly state however, that in general, for most cancers, our treatment algorithm very rarely offers the choice between radiation versus/or chemotherapy.
The answer lies in the following explanation:
There are three main types of treatment modalities that can be employed to treat cancer.
These are namely :
1) Surgery
2) Systemic treatments such as chemotherapy, hormonal or immunotherapy and
3) Radiation Therapy
Surgery is considered local treatment- but is invasive, as it involves the excision/removal of the tumor from the body, either partially or completely.
Chemotherapy and other types of systemic treatment, by nature of the route of administration (by mouth or intravenously (via the veins) , are not local, but are diffusely distributed throughout the body, except for sites that are considered impermeable to most systemic agents, such as the blood-brain barrier.
Radiation therapy, specifically EBRT (external beam radiation therapy) is, like surgery, also considered local treatment. However, unlike surgery, external beam radiation therapy is non-invasive.
The type(s) or modality (modalities) of treatment(s) recommended for cancer is/are determined by the cancer histology/ the type of cancer.
For example, in the case of breast cancer, surgery is usually recommended, and is therefore the mainstay treatment for breast cancer. However, other factors determine whether or not chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy should be prescribed. These factors include, but are not limited to: the stage of the cancer, status of surgical margins (some or all tumor removed), and expression of certain receptors (estrogen, progesterone, human epidermal growth factor 2); as well as the age of the patient, patient performance status, and the presence of other medical comorbidities such as heart disease.
So, in conclusion, although not all treatment modalities are necessary for all cancers, the decision regarding the type (s) of treatment applied to any cancer diagnosis is dictated by the standard of care for the specific cancer in question. As noted above, several other factors may also influence the final course of treatment.
I hope the details presented above adequately address your question.
Sincerely,
Dr. EB
