When you have received a cancer diagnosis, you likely have many thoughts and emotions running through your head all at once. This can make it difficult to process any additional information that your medical team is trying to provide you with about your condition and about your treatment options. One of these treatment options that you may want to consider for your newly diagnosed condition is known as intensity-modulated radiation therapy. Before you make any decisions about your treatments, get to know more about intensity-modulated radiation therapy and how it may be able to help you in your fight against cancer. Then, you can be sure that you schedule your appointment with an oncologist here in the Denver, Colorado area as soon as possible.
What Is Radiation Therapy?
Radiation therapy is a form of cancer treatment that utilizes x-rays or other types of high-intensity radiation energy to treat cancer. The radiation energy is aimed at the cancerous areas of the body to attempt to heat the cancer cells to a point where they are so damaged that they can no longer replicate and are essentially destroyed.
What Is Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy?
Intensity-modulated radiation therapy, on the other hand, is a specialized form of radiation therapy. It is designed using the latest and highest quality technology and has been specially created to reach even the most difficult to reach tumors.
This involves using top of the line software that the doctor can use to determine a very precise and specific dose of radiation based on measurements taken of the size, shape, location, and type of tumor involved. Intensity-modulated radiation therapy allows for more the more precise and exact administration of radiation to the tumor. It allows for the 3-D mapping of the tumor surface so that the oncologist can use a specialized tool to vary the amount of radiation given to perfectly match the concave and convex portions of the tumor.
What Are The Main Benefits of Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy?
Intensity-modulated radiation therapy has numerous benefits to you as the cancer patient. First of all, it can provide you with more exact and precise treatment of a tumor so that it can be better analyzed and eradicated through treatment. Additionally, because this radiation therapy is so exact, it can better spare healthy tissue from exposure to radiation, keeping the rest of your body as healthy as possible in spite of your cancer and cancer treatments.
Now that you know more about intensity-modulated radiation therapy, you can better decide with your oncologist if this is the right treatment option for you and your situation.