Definition

Noun: 1. A medical treatment for disease, especially cancer, using controlled exposure to high-energy radiation: This therapy uses targeted beams of radiation (such as X-rays or gamma rays) to destroy or damage cancer cells, preventing them from growing and dividing. It is a common and effective form of cancer treatment.

Usage

• Radiation therapy is typically administered by a machine outside the body (external beam radiation) or from a radioactive source placed inside the body near the cancer cells (brachytherapy).
• It is often used alone or in combination with other treatments like surgery or chemotherapy.
• The term is used in both general and clinical medical contexts.

Examples

• After her surgery, the oncologist recommended a course of radiation therapy to target any remaining cancer cells.
• Modern radiation therapy is very precise, minimizing damage to the surrounding healthy tissue.
• The side effects of radiation therapy can include fatigue and skin irritation in the treated area.

Advanced Usage

• Adjuvant radiation therapy: Radiation given after the primary treatment (like surgery) to kill any microscopic remaining cancer cells.
• Palliative radiation therapy: Radiation used not to cure cancer, but to relieve symptoms, such as pain from a tumor.
• "To undergo radiation therapy": A common phrase describing the patient's experience.
  • He will undergo six weeks of radiation therapy.

Variants and Related Words

• Radiotherapy: A direct synonym, more commonly used in British English but understood globally in medical contexts.
• Irradiation: A broader term that can refer to the process of exposing something to radiation, which includes but is not limited to medical treatment (e.g., food irradiation).
• Radiation oncologist: The specialized doctor who plans and oversees radiation therapy treatments.

Synonyms

• Radiotherapy
• X-ray therapy (a specific, older type)
• Radiation treatment

Related Phrases

• Course of radiation: Refers to the full schedule of radiation therapy sessions prescribed for a patient.
  • She completed her course of radiation last month.
• Radiation field: The specific area of the body targeted during treatment.

Noun

1. (medicine) the treatment of disease (especially cancer) by exposure to a radioactive substance