mesothelioma and radiation
Radiotherapy or radiation therapy is one of the methods commonly used conventional medical treatment of mesothelioma. Most mesothelioma patients be subjected to radiation therapy at some time or the other of his treatment and is better than being well informed about this form of treatment for you to get the maximum benefit him. Here are some frequently asked questions about radiation therapy:
"What is radiation?
Radiation therapy uses high particle energy or waves, such as X-rays, gamma rays, electron rays or protons to destroy or damage cancer cells. This form of cancer therapy also known as radiotherapy, radiotherapy or X-ray therapy
Radiation therapy is commonly used to treat mesothelioma cancer. Radiation can be given alone or combined with other treatments such as surgery or chemotherapy. And sometimes patients get more than one type of radiation therapy.
How Radiation therapy works?
Cancer cells divide and multiply faster than normal body cells. Radiation therapy uses special equipment to high doses of radiation to these rapidly dividing cancer cells. This radiation kills these cells and prevent them from multiplying, This prevents the tumor from spreading.
Radiation targets and breaks some of the DNA molecule in cancer cells, thus preventing cell multiply. Some cells close to normal can be affected by radiation, but most people recover from the effects of treatment and return to work the way is assumed.
Radiation therapy is usually a local treatment and only the body part is affected by the tumor is exposed to radiation. The goal of treatment is radiation damage to cancer cells as possible, with little damage to nearby healthy tissue.
Occasionally the substances radiation can be administered into a vein or by mouth, and the radioactive substance that comes to travel throughout the body, but most of the time, is just the affected body part by the tumor is exposed to radioactive substances so that there is little effect on the rest of the body.
Do the benefits outweigh the risks and side effects?
Although mesothelioma cancer is never can be cured by any form of treatment, radiation therapy when administered in combination with other treatment modalities as surgery and chemotherapy can prolong the life of the patient and radiation therapy can also be used to provide palliative treatment for advanced cases of mesothelioma.
How much is the treatment?
Radiation therapy is very expensive, involving the use of very sophisticated equipment that can only be handled by highly specialized medical staff. The exact cost of radiation therapy depends on the type and number of treatments you need.
Most the health insurance plans, including Medicare Part B cover the cost of radiation therapy. Talk to the staff of the doctor's office or business office hospital on your health plan and how to treat their accounts will be paid.
In some U.S. states, Medicaid (which makes health services available for people with financial need) may help pay for treatment. Contact your city or county social services to see if you qualify for Medicaid and whether Radiation therapy is a covered expense.
Who gives radiation treatments?
Different types of medical personnel who participate in the management radiotherapy to you. This staff includes:
• Radiation Oncologist: A physician specially trained to treat cancer patients with radiation. He or she is responsible for your radiation treatment plan.
• radiation physicist: A person who makes the team functions as radiation should and gives the dose prescribed by your radiation oncologist.
• Dosimetrist: Supervised by the radiation physicist, this person will help plan treating oncologist.
• radiation therapist or radiotherapy technician: This person operates the radiation equipment and positions you for treatment.
• nurse specialist in radiation therapy: a nurse with special training in cancer treatment that can provide information on the radiation treatment and side effects.
You may also need the services of a dietician, physiotherapist, social worker, a dentist or oncologist dental care or other health professionals.
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