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Effects of radiation on the body essay
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What is Radiation Therapy? Radiation Therapy is one of the principal modalities that are used in the treatment of cancer (Frank, Long, Smith 2012, p. 467). What is cancer? Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body. This uncontrolled growth of cells can over time develop into a tumor. Then, this tumor can continue to grow and cause problems, and even spread if it is left untreated. Cancerous cells are also called malignant cells. In this modality, high energy x-rays, gamma rays, and charged particles are the forms of radiation used to shrink the cancer cells (Lawrence, Ten Haken, pg.1). In this field the patients have been diagnosed with cancer, have tumors, or they have cancerous lesions that are present. The objective …show more content…
Second a biopsy needs to be taken of the affected tissues by a surgeon. A pathologist, to see whether or not it is cancerous, will then examine the biopsy. Based on the tumors or cancers status an oncologist may choose radiation treatment, surgery, or chemotherapy (Frank, Long, Smith 2012, p. 467). During the treatment radiation maybe delivered into the body in two ways: external beam radiation or internal radiation therapy, internal radiation therapy is often referred to as brachytherapy. In the external beam radiation process radiation is delivered to the body from a machine outside of the body. Internal radiation therapy uses a radioactive material that is placed inside the body near the anatomy of interest. The most common method of treatment is the use of external beam radiation (Lawrence, Ten Haken, …show more content…
The side effects can differ depending on their area where the treatment has taken place. Acute side effects include: skin irritation, hair loss skin damage, and fatigue. Skin irritation being the most common. The skin over the affected area may become red, swollen, blistered, sunburned, or tanned. Skin may become dry, itchy, flaky, or even start peeling; these changes are only temporary. Chronic side effects including: damage to the bowels, infertility, memory loss, and scar tissue. These effects may not occur depending on the area being treated. A second cancer can result from the original treatment; this second cancer risk factor is increased with smoking and genetics defects. With all patients the doctors will measure the potential risks to the potential benefits to decide on the method of treatment (Brada M, De Ruysscher,
2. External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT) which is usually offered when the lung cancer is either considered to be primary, or when it has metastasized (spread to other organs). This form of treatment uses a linear accelerator machine to focus a precise beam of radiation on a given area of the body for a precise period of time to kill off cancerous cells.
There are essentially three main types of cancer treatments; surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Surgery allows doctors to effectively remove tumors from a clear plane. Chemotherapy uses drugs to treat the tumor; but often the drugs affect other healthy cells in the process. Using radiation as a treatment can be either precise or vague. Many health stigmas can come from the vague forms of radiation or conventional radiation therapy. Conventional radiation treats both the unhealthy and healthy cells, therefore exposing healthy cells to harmful radiation (Radiation Oncology, 2011, p.6). When healthy cells are exposed to gamma radiation they are also exposed to ionizing radiation. The ionization can cause “breakage of chemical bonds or oxidization (addition of oxygen atoms)” in a cell; the main impact of this is on a cell’s DNA, if two strands of DNA break it can result in “mutations, chromosome aberrations, ...
Cancer is a disease in which cells multiply out of control and gradually build a mass of tissue called a tumor. There has been a large amount of research dedicated to the treatment and cure of cancer. Several types of treatments have been developed. The following are just some of the major examples of cancer therapy: surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, biologic therapy, biorhythms, unconventional treatments, and hyperthermia. Each type of treatment is discussed in detail below.
“External radiation uses a machine that directs high-energy rays from outside the body into the tumor and some normal nearby tissue.” (American Cancer Society p. 5) After this treatment the patient will not be radioactive, but treatment is delivered in small doses and can last several weeks. “Internal radiation or brachytherapy, uses a radioactive source, called an implant, that’s put inside the body in or near the tumor.” (American Cancer Society p. 9) It may be placed in an organ or in the cancerous tumor. The patient will be radioactive for a short time. Due to the implant being near the source of cancer a larger dose can be delivered to the patient. “Systemic radiation uses radioactive drugs to treat certain type of cancer.” (American Cancer Society p. 12) The drugs used are called radiopharmaceuticals and can be delivered orally or intravenously. “They collect where the cancer is to give off their radiation and kill the cancer cells.” (American Cancer Society p. 12) After this treatment the patient will be radioactive, and will take a few days to be removed from the patients
...effects that can come with chemotherapy such as nausea, vomiting, hair loss, fatigue, mouth sores, and more. Radiation therapy is pretty bad but not as painful with side effects. Side effects for radiation therapy are coughing, fever, fullness of chest, soreness and scaring. Many times surgery is not an option but when is it is one of the best options due to the fact there are less side effects and no strenuous treatment. One of the reasons cancer is such a bad thing is because the treatment is not good but research is taking place and working to get more effective.
Another treatment that is used to help a cancer patients overcome the disease is radiation therapy. Although very affective and used commonly, thi...
Radiation is the emission of electromagnetic energy that is given off in the form of high speed particles that cause ionization. During ionization radiation hits and knocks electrons from an atom creating charged ions. Due to the electron being stripped away from the atom this break the chemical bond. Living tissue within the human body is damaged and attempts to repair it but sometimes the damage is beyond repair.
...t must be careful not to get too much exposure to bright light like sunlight. Many people develop temporary skin darkening, much like having a suntan. Pain is another side effect of PDT. As the diseased tissue breaks down, it causes inflammation, which can cause pain. Fortunately, the pain of PDT is usually mild and is easily controlled with a painkiller. Another side effect of PDT for lung cancer is shortness of breath. This is from the fluid buildup in the lungs after the treatment. It is also caused by the inflammation when the cancer is broken down and removed from the body. The good news about the side effects of PDT is that they are usually temporary.
I believe my thesis statement is argumentative because, not all States allow for a patient to choose what form of drug they can use to relieve pain, nausea, sleep and eating problems while on Chemo and Radiation therapy. There are many studies that have prove how the use of smoking or vaporized (inhale) have help Cancer patients have a more enjoyable
student. In the following journal, we see the benefit of reflective practice and what it achieves
Radiation therapists work closely with patients to fight cancer. According to Health Care Careers, Oncologists, Dosimetrists and nurses are some of the professionals that a radiation therapist works with while caring for a cancer patient. This group of professionals will determine a specialized treatment plan. The first step usually includes a CT scan performed by a radiologist to find the exact area that needs to be targeted with x-rays. Next, the therapist uses a special machine that emits radiation called a Linear Accelerator. They use this machine during a treatment called external beam therapy. During this process, the Linear Accelerator will project x-rays at targeted cancer cells or tumors. Another therapist will be in a different room monitoring the patient’s viral signs until the procedure is over. The external therapy l...
Ever since the eighth grade I have been passionate about becoming a radiation therapist. I credit this to a project in which I was required to research two professions in preparation for acceptance into a university. For this project, radiation therapy was suggested to me by a family friend whom was also the administrative director of a cancer center in Miami, Florida. Radiation therapy offers me an opportunity to help individuals who are at one of the most vulnerable and toughest periods of their life. In doing so I am able to be part of a lifesaving team which is very gratifying. Additionally, radiation therapy is a very technically demanding field that combines physics and medicine; two categories of which I am very interested in. In order to learn more about radiation therapy, I began volunteering while in high school at the C. Gordon Griffith Cancer Center at North Shore Medical Center in Miami, Florida. While there, I was able to shadow the dosimetrist as she planned treatments as well as see those treatments in action while shadowing the radiation therapists. When I started attending college at the University of South Florida, I became a volunteer at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer
The most common type of radiation therapy that is used involves exposure of patients to external radiations. In this method, a beam containing high-energy X-rays is directed to a specific region of the body to irradiate the main tumors. However, the problem with this technique is that the ability to hit normal tissues of adjacent organs (Noda et al., 2009). Different from this, targeted radionuclide therapy functions like chemotherapy. A radionuclide labeled molecule is administered either orally or intravenously such that it delivers radiations that are sufficiently toxic to the site of the disease to kill the target cells (Bolus & Brady, 2011). However, the main difference with chemotherapy is that the drugs or toxins only...
Radiation is one of the most dangerous and easiest way of having health effects. Radiation was first discovered by Roentgen. Hazards are the first things people need to know in order to understand what it can do to your body. It causes many health effects on everyone out in the world. It harms people in the dentistry and field and even in the medical field. Normal people out the world can also be exposed when coming into one of these offices and getting x-rays of some type.
For most, the primary fears associated with cancer are connected to the effects of treatments. If the patient is diagnosed when the cancer is still in the early stages, more than likely surgery is the appropriate treatment. However if the cancer has developed into an advanced stage, a more drastic treatment is necessary.