Why Use Radiation Therapy?
Radiation therapy is used for localized regions of the body, because the X-rays can kill healthy cells as easily as cancerous ones. It is best in cases where chemotherapy is not needed because the cancer is not yet malignant, or when the tumor is too deep in the body to be removed through surgery, as is usually the case with bone cancer. It is also useful for reducing the size of a tumor before surgery or chemotherapy, or eliminating remaining cancer cells afterwards. When a tumor has become a part of a bone, it often cannot be removed through surgery because pieces of bone cannot be removed from the body without seriously compromising the cat’s health. How Long Does the Treatment Take? In order to prevent unnecessary tissue damage, radiation therapy is often spaced out in separate sessions over the course of weeks. Different kinds of cancer require different amounts of treatment, so some cancers will only need a week of radiation therapy, while others can take more than two months. Ge
