CancerCureClinic

Radiation Therapy: Types and Side Effects   What are the main categories of radiation therapy based on delivery method ?   External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and internal radiation therapy (brachytherapy ·   External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT): In this method, the radiation source is outside the patient's body. A machine, such as a linear accelerator, directs high-energy beams of radiation towards the cancerous tumor from various angles. EBRT is a local treatment, meaning it targets a specific area of the body where the cancer is located. For instance, if someone has lung cancer, the radiation will be directed at their chest. This is the most common type of radiation therapy used to treat many different kinds of cancer. Patients typically receive EBRT in outpatient sessions over several weeks. The treatments are usually painless and last only a few minutes, although the setup time might be longer....

  Chemotherapy: How it Works and Side Effects How does chemotherapy target cancer cells?  By targeting rapidly dividing cells Chemotherapy targets cancer cells primarily by exploiting their characteristic of rapid and uncontrolled division . Here's a breakdown of how it works: Interfering with Cell Division: Chemotherapy drugs are designed to disrupt the process of cell division (mitosis). They can do this in several ways: Damaging DNA: Some drugs directly damage the DNA of the cancer cells, making it impossible for them to replicate properly and divide. Interfering with DNA Synthesis: Other drugs act as antimetabolites, mimicking the building blocks of DNA and RNA. When cancer cells incorporate these faulty building blocks, it halts DNA replication and prevents cell division. Inhibiting Protein Synthesis: Certain chemotherapy agents interfere with the production of proteins that are essential for cell ...