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Radiation therapy – used to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors – is one of the Marin Cancer Institute’s most powerful weapons.
The major goal of radiation therapy is to eradicate cancer while maintaining optimal organ function and quality of life.
Radiation therapy works by damaging the DNA in the cancer cell, thereby disabling the cancer cells from reproducing and growing. The cancer cells then die and the cancer shrinks.
Radiation is usually administered in the form of high-energy beams that are targeted where the cancer cells are located. It may also come from radioactive material placed in the body near cancer cells (internal radiation therapy, implant radiation or brachytherapy). Systemic radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance, such as a radiolabeled monoclonal antibody, that circulates throughout the body.
Radiation therapy, unlike chemotherapy, is considered a local treatment. This means that cancer cells are only killed at the location in the body where the radiation is delivered. If cancer exists outside the radiation field, those cancer cells are not destroyed by the radiation.
Because each patient's case presents unique challenges and requires individualized attention, we urge you to consult your radiation oncologist about which treatment plan is best for you. It is extremely important to seek out an expert team of physicians who specialize in your type of cancer to insure optimal outcomes.
Learn about the latest radiation therapies and technologies Marin Cancer Institute has to offer.
Learn more about radiation therapy procedures used by the following programs at MCI:To learn more about how radiation therapy is used to treat cancer, visit the American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology's website RTAnswers.org.
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Lloyd Miyawaki, MD, (right) is a Radiation Oncologist, and the Medical Director of the Marin Cancer Institute. More about your care team.
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