Radiation Therapy to treat Liver Cancers :
Radiation therapy uses high energy rays similar to X-rays to treat cancers. With the advancement in technology today we have different methods of administering the radiation for cancer patients. Radiation Therapy Treatment for Liver Cancer safeguards the healthy cells while the radiation is focused on killing the cancer cells using the latest techniques such 3D-CRT and radio embolization.
Prior Treatment :
Prior treatment the Radiation Oncologist in Hyderabad will take measurements carefully of the area where the high beam radiation has to be focused. The doses that are to be given are also determined early. The set up time takes a little longer than the treatment itself. The radiation may be given for few minutes and distributed to several weeks or cycles as decided by the Radiation Oncology Doctors at KIMS Hospitals in Hyderabad.
The radiotherapy machines are big and can be rotated to adjust it according to the area where the radiation has to be focused. The patient is allowed to listen to music which is plugged in to his ears while the radiation machine is all set up and starts giving the radiations. The team in charge will wait outside until the radiation is complete. It is absolutely painless.
Types of Radiations :
- External Beam Radiation Therapy: It is not recommended to treat liver cancers as the radiations given can easily kill the healthy tissues of the liver cells that surround the tumor. With lower dosage some patients may benefit in killing cancer cells. It may relieve pain and other symptoms. This can be used to treat bile duct cancers than hepatocellular liver cancers.
- 3-D CRT: 3Dimensional Conformal Radiation Therapy is latest radiation therapy technique as the radiation dosage around the healthy liver cells can be reduced while the high dosage is focused on the tumor. This is a very effective therapy as it reduces side effects.
- Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy: This technique is used to save the healthy liver cells from being targeted with high beam radiation. Beams are aimed directly at the tumor site from various angles without touching the healthy cells. They are given for a short period of time lasting from few days to few weeks. As the radiation is precise the patient is adjusted in a very specially designed body frame for every treatment.
- Radioembolization: Small radioactive beads are injected into the hepatic artery. They are lodged close to the liver where the tumor is present. These beads give focused radiation and can travel only short distances inside the liver.
Side Effects :
Side effects are severe if both chemotherapy and radiation therapy is combined together. They, however, diminish once the treatment stops. They include :
- Weakness
- Low blood counts
- Nausea, vomiting
- Skin change
- Sickness
- Diarrhoea
Why KIMS Hospitals?
KIMS Hospitals is one among the Best Radiation Therapy Hospitals in Hyderabad. They have the Best Radiation Specialist Doctor in Hyderabad and are known for curing the cancers by adopting the newest of the techniques in radiation therapy such as 3-D CRT. The new techniques are life savers as they don’t kill the healthy liver cells. The medical team at KIMS is also actively involved in the research sector to bring even safer procedures to kill cancers without disturbing the healthy tissues of the organs and reduce side effects.