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How is radiation therapy combined with chemotherapy to treat cancer?
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radiation therapy
External beam radiation therapy (also known as external beam teletherapy, or long-distance therapy) being delivered using a machine known as a linear accelerator.
Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are frequently combined as part of a comprehensive cancer treatment strategy. While radiation therapy acts as a local treatment to destroy cancer cells within a specific, targeted area, chemotherapy involves the administration of drugs that circulate through the bloodstream to attack tumor cells throughout the body.12
The combination of these two modalities serves several critical clinical purposes:
- Preventing Recurrence: Chemotherapy is often added to a treatment regimen alongside radiation to reduce the likelihood of the tumor returning.1
- Managing Metastasis: Because radiation is limited to the site of exposure, chemotherapy is used to treat or prevent the development of metastatic disease, where cancer has spread to other parts of the body.21
- Adjunct Therapy: Chemotherapy is frequently employed as an adjunct therapy to radiation, allowing physicians to address both the primary tumor site and potential systemic spread simultaneously.2
Treatment plans are typically developed by a multidisciplinary team of specialists, including medical and radiation oncologists, to ensure the most effective and safe approach for the patient.3