Radiation Therapy for Bladder Cancer

Radiation Therapy Options for Bladder Cancer

Radiation therapy, sometimes called radiotherapy, is the careful use of radiation to safely and effectively treat cancer. Radiation therapy works within cancer cells by damaging their ability to multiply. When these cells die, the body naturally eliminates them. Healthy cells are also affected by radiation, but they are able to repair themselves in a way cancer cells cannot.

• External beam radiation therapy is the main type of radiation used to treat bladder cancer, often in combination with chemotherapy. During this treatment, radiation is directed at the tumor from a machine similar to an X-ray machine.
• Internal radiation therapy, or brachytherapy, is also sometimes used, often in conjunction with external beam radiation therapy. Radioactive pellets or seeds are delivered to the tumor through small tubes called catheters .Radiation therapy works within cancer cells by damaging their ability to multiply. When these cells die, the body naturally eliminates them.