Radiation therapy is one treatment used to kill cancerous cells. Physicians use radiation therapy to damage cancer cells so they die and can no longer cause harm. There are precise ways to deliver radiation therapy, and metallic balls can be used to ensure that the patient receives only the dose recommended, and in the safest way possible. Metallic balls can be used when developing a radiation therapy plan, as well as during the radiation process.
Radiation Therapy
The National Cancer Institute reports that about half of all cancer patients receive some type of radiation therapy as part of their treatment. Radiation therapy can be an effective treatment for cancer because it kills cancerous cells and may help to shrink tumors. There are two ways to deliver radiation to the cancer patient. The radiation can be administered via a machine or through radioactive material placed near the tumor or cancerous cells through injection or by swallowing radioactive substances. Radiation therapy can be used alone or in combination with chemotherapy or surgery.
Metallic Balls
When a physician administers radiation therapy, it is essential to target as close to the cancerous cells or tumor as possible to prevent damage to healthy parts of the body. When a machine is used to deliver the radiation, markers are used to ensure that the radiation only goes to areas the doctor intends for it to go. Metallic balls may be used as markers. Robert D. Timmerman and Lei Xing, authors of "Image-Guided and Adaptive Radiation Therapy," note that localization of radiation therapy is done using an axis and lasers to precisely line up the radiation. Metallic balls are used as markers on the horizontal and vertical axes to help line up the lasers in one area so the radiation is only given to that specific part of the body.
Effectiveness
The International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics reports that even with careful lining up of the radiation equipment, treatment errors were 1 millimeter. This error may be corrected or reduced with the use of metallic balls. The journal notes that the use of two tiny metallic balls as horizontal and vertical marks may help line the radiation equipment up more precisely. This can help reduce treatment errors and make radiation therapy more exact and less damaging to healthy tissue. Metallic balls may also help with precise positioning of the patient so radiation is targeted to only the cancerous cells or tumor.
Considerations
There are certain risks to receiving radiation therapy even if your physician uses metallic balls to help localize the radiation and minimize damage to other areas of your body. The National Cancer Institute reports that radiation therapy may also damage healthy cells, which can lead to negative side effects including skin irritation, fatigue and nausea. Long-term side effects may include scar tissue, damage to the bowels, infertility and memory loss. If your doctor has recommended radiation therapy, speak with him about whether he makes use of metallic balls. Be proactive in asking for the use of techniques that localize the radiation and you may increase the odds that your healthy cells and tissues will be protected.
References
- National Cancer Institute: Radiation Therapy for Cancer
- International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics: A Dual Computed Tomography Linear Accelerator Unit for Stereotactic Radiation Therapy: A New Approach Without Cranially Fixated Stereotactic Frames
- Image-Guided and Adaptive Radiation Therapy; Robert D. Timmerman and Lei Xing
