How Does Radiation Kill Cancer Cells?

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world. There are many types of treatment for cancer including the most common of radiation and chemotherapy. These treatments aim to slow down the progression of cancer and put the cancer in remission. Radiation attempts to directly kills the cancer cells within the body.

What is Cancer?

Cancer is an illness affecting tissues, cells, muscles or organs. Cell division is regulated by specific genes, and if this gene is missing or deformed, uncontrolled growth(s) occurs. This growth invades and destroys normal cells. These cancerous cells can spread and metastasize to other parts of the body through lymph nodes and blood. Cancer has a variety of causes including cigarette smoke, nicotine, radiation or genetically caused.

Cancer Treatments

While there is no cure for cancer, doctors can attempt to put the cancer in remission or slow the rate of growth. Cancer treatments include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and antibody therapy. Many doctors prefer to use a combination of therapies to kill cancer cells.

Radiation Types

Radiation therapy, one of the most common treatments for cancer, destroys localized cancer cells. Radiation is used for many types of cancer, including brain, lung, pancreas and ovarian cancer. Radiation is administered by external beams or brachytherapy (which is in an internal treatment). External radiotherapy uses high energy radiation beams that focus on localized cancer cells. In brachytherapy, doctors place radiation close to the cancerous cells using hollow needles.

How Radiation Works

Radiation uses ionizing x-rays and gamma waves which attach to electrons. The radiation ionizes bonds within the cell's watery molecules. This releases hydroxyl free radicals which attack the DNA molecules. By destroying the strands of DNA, the cancer cells can no longer function or repair themselves. This leads to apoptosis, which is a form of cell suicide. The length of radiation is determined by type and severity of the cancer.

Side Effects of Radiation

The most common effects of radiation are skin lesions, loss of appetite, fatigue and burns. Some types of radiation will cause a patient's white blood cells to decrease, which makes them more likely to get infections and other illnesses.