Radiation Therapy for Skin Cancer

What is Radiation Therapy?

• Radiation therapy is the use of various types of radiation to safely and effectively treat cancer and other diseases.   
• Doctors called radiation oncologists use radiation therapy to kill tumors, to control tumor growth and to relieve symptoms.
• Radiation therapy works by using X-rays or electrons to damage the genetic material or other critical components of cancer cells. This damage limits the cancer’s ability to reproduce. Radiation can sometimes stop the blood supply to cancers, which also kills the cancer cells. When these cancer cells die, the body naturally eliminates them.
• Normal cells are also affected by radiation, but they are better able to repair and heal the damage caused by radiation therapy than can most cancer cells.
• Radiation therapy treatments are noninvasive and painless, much like receiving an X-ray. You should be able to go home after treatment and will not need to stay in the clinic.