Effect of radiotherapy
Effect of radiotherapy

The effect of radiotherapy is achieved directly in the cells

Radiation damages the tumor cells’ hereditary material and interrupts their metabolic processes

During radiotherapy, ionizing radiation is normally used. Ionizing means that neutral atoms and molecules are converted into the positively and negatively charged particles that are required for the effect of radiotherapy to work. This is because the effect of the radiotherapy is based on these particles: the ions cause biochemical and biological reactions in the cells. The nature of these reactions depends on two factors: firstly the energy of the beams and secondly the nature of the tissue being exposed to radiation. To achieve the best possible effect of the radiotherapy, the dose of radiation is crucial since excessive doses can harm the tissue.

Tumor tissue behaves differently from healthy tissue

Instead of destroying tumor cells with intensive radiation, the effect of radiotherapy is nowadays achieved through a more indirect route. The radiation causes changes to key molecules within the tumor cells. The cells then die through natural biological processes. This happens particularly reliably if the tumor is well supplied with blood vessels and therefore saturated with oxygen. This is because oxygen ions are “free radicals” and attack the hereditary material in the tumor directly. The effect of the radiotherapy is based on the fact that enzymes and molecules that are involved with the tumor’s cell division and growth are damaged. The cancer cells are recognized by the body as damaged cells and broken down.

Radiotherapy Patient System RPS increases safety

For the effect of radiotherapy to work, multiple, frequent doses of radiation are needed. This also means that the total dose of radiation can be divided into several units that are less arduous for the patient than high-intensity radiation. The Radiotherapy Patient System, or RPS, has been developed to improve the safety of radiotherapy further. This “intelligent” patient platform makes it easier to position the patient accurately under the linear accelerator – achieving exactly the same position in each session using saved and reliable data. Further information about the RPS can be requested by e-mail – write to info@gkteso.com.