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Radiation therapy for treatment of cancerRadiation therapy is the use of ionizing radiation in the treatment of cancer. Targeted cells are destroyed or prevented from multiplying using radiation which is a form of energy that is released as particles or waves. This therapy is used on malignant cancer cells of almost all types of cancers. Radiation therapy might be the primary mode of treatment of the cancer or might be an adjuvant. Though this method of treatment of cancer is usually coupled with one or more of therapies like chemotherapy, immunotherapy, hormone therapy and sometimes even surgery, it remains one of the most important forms of treatment of cancer.Photons or charged particles are used to directly or indirectly ionize the atoms in the DNA of the cancerous cell. In indirect ionization, the ionization of water results in the formation of free radicals that cause damage to the DNA. When a double strand break in the DNA is caused it will result in apoptosis or cell death, while a single strand break might be repaired. Since cancerous cells focus more on proliferation than repairing damaged DNA, the damage caused to the DNA will be passed on to the next generation of cells , this could result in the death of the cells or could delay the process of proliferation. The limitation of this method of radiation therapy is that the in solid tumours a deficiency of oxygen is created, this condition called hypoxia results in these tumours being resistant to radiation therapy. Direct ionization results in DNA damage through double strand breaks. The advantage of this method of radiation therapy is that the beam of radiation that is used against the tumour focuses on the tumour and does not scatter much. This results in reduced side effects on the adjoining normal tissue. The dose of radiation that is used in radiation therapy is dependant upon the stage of the disease and the type of cancer. The dose is also dependant on whether the radiation is provided before surgery or after surgery and if it is provided after surgery, the level of success of the surgery also determines the dose. The radiation delivery is also a carefully planned exercise, the radiation is fractionated and the site of the tumour targeted from different angles. This is done to increase the intensity of radiation to the tumour while reducing the intensity on the surrounding tissues. The delivery of radiation does not cause any pain or discomfort but the radiation over time causes discomfort. The duration of radiation therapy lasts for 7 weeks when given 5 times a week. In certain cases it is also given twice a day for one week. The part of the skin where radiation is received may change colour and turn reddish or dark in colour. This may be treated with topical application creams and medications. There are many ways to manage the skin side effects that are experienced. Radiation therapy is usually provided in 2 ways, external and internal radiation. External radiation does not require hospitalization and therapy is provided as an outpatient treatment option. X-rays or gamma rays are used to send the radiation and this is provided daily for a designated number of weeks. External radiation therapy does not cause pain and lasts only for a short while. Internal radiation, called Brach therapy, involved enclosing radioactive material in an implant which is usually a catheter, a rod or a seed. This method of radiation therapy requires the patient to be admitted in the hospital; however, the patient may leave after the treatment. Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers and it has been found to affect a large number of women. Radiation therapy is suggested for breast cancer patients after consultation with oncologists. Previous studies have shown that the risk of breast cancer has been reduced by as much as 70% after treatment with radiation therapy. Radiation therapy for breast cancer patients is generally used after surgery to eliminate cancer cells as much as possible. Cervical cancer radiation therapy is provided to patients with cervical cancer. The radiation therapy method that is used to treat cervical cancer may be internal or it may be external. Any one of the methods is chosen for treatment or both the types of radiation therapy may be used for treatment. Uterine cancer is another important cancer that has been found to affect the endometrium of the uterus. Radiation therapy for uterine cancer is suggested when the woman is in the first, second or third stage of cancer. Some women who are not eligible for surgery are prescribed radiation therapy. Radiation therapy that is provided before surgery helps in reducing the lump before surgery and after surgery aids in removing any remaining cancer cells. Prostate cancer affects a large number of men and is common among older men. Radiation therapy for prostate cancer requires external radiation that is used to target the cancer cells form different angles. Providing radiation therapy to cancer patients requires expertise and knowledge. There are many online radiation therapy schools for becoming a certified radiation therapist. The person can read the coursework and attend online exams that are conducted to certify for the course. Some online radiation therapy courses require the student to visit campuses during certain periods while other courses are held from remote places entirely. A certificate program in radiation therapy from one of the online radiation therapy courses would require a full year, while an associate degree requires 2 years and a Bachelor’s degree is obtained after 4 years. 
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