What are examples of some of the different types of radiation therapy?
There are many different types of treatment options. The most advanced equipment available today includes the Cyberknife and Gammaknife, computer-assisted treatment planning, and multiple kinds of brachytherapy. Special emphasis has been placed on developing shorter treatments for specific tumors that combine radiation therapy with minimally invasive surgical techniques as an alternative to complex or disfiguring surgery. The goal here is to deliver a more effective form of cancer treatment while reducing both the side effects and in some cases shortening the treatment time from weeks to days. This makes a huge difference in cost and quality of life for patients. What about issues of patient safety and comfort? Minimizing the side effects from radiation is always a priority. For example, at The Cleveland Clinic, we use a specially designed breast shield that minimizes the dose of scattered radiation to the opposite-side healthy breast during breast cancer radiation therapy. This protec
