What are the effects of artificial radiation on humans? Are there any alternatives for curing a disease without the use of x rays?
The use of therapeutic radiation is now limited to treatment of malignant disease (cancer) with very few exceptions. It is one of three classical modalities of cancer treatment, along with surgery and chemotherapy. Several new and experimental modalities are now being added to this arsenal, including such things as stimulation of the immune system, stem cell transplants, etc. The selection of the modality of treatment for a given patient is based on giving that patient the best chance of cure of the cancer. Frequently several modalities are used in combination. There are risks to therapeutic radiation, just as there are with other modalities of cancer treatment-or with any medical treatment. Patients occasionally die from surgery. Chemotherapeutic drugs are very toxic and can damage healthy tissue. Every patient who gets therapeutic radiation has some damage to healthy tissue. That damage usually appears as nonspecific inflammation. Great care is taken to hold the level of that damage
