What is Radiation Therapy?

Senior Care in Osakis MN: What is Radiation Therapy?

When an older adult is diagnosed with cancer, younger family members are often suddenly pressed into service as caregivers. That can be a daunting task. You may feel overwhelmed and under-prepared. One way to bring yourself up to speed as a caregiver is to educate yourself about your aging family member’s condition and what you can expect during treatment. In many cases, cancer is treated with radiation therapy. If you’re unfamiliar with the treatment, read on to learn more about how radiation therapy works and what happens during treatment.

Radiation Therapy Basics

Radiation involves using rays of energy to destroy cancer cells. Usually, the energy used is x-rays. However, other kinds of energy may be used, too. The cells are destroyed when the energy damages the genetic material involved in the growth and division of cells.

Unfortunately, radiation therapy not only damages cancerous cells, it can also harm healthy cells. Medical professionals try to minimize the effects of the therapy on healthy cells. And, fortunately, healthy cells are usually able to fix most of the damage done themselves.

How Radiation Therapy is Administered

Most of the time when people talk about radiation therapy they are referring to the kind of therapy that is administered externally, but there are three kinds of radiation therapy:

• External Radiation: This kind of radiation therapy uses a machine to target the tumor from outside the body. External radiation generally takes several weeks and is performed on an outpatient basis.
• Brachytherapy: Brachytherapy is a kind of internal radiation therapy. It uses a radioactive source that is put inside the body, either in or near the tumor.
• Systemic Radiation: With this therapy, the patient takes a radioactive drug orally, or the medication is injected into a vein.

What kind of radiation your aging relative will receive depends on the type of cancer they have as well as its location.

During Treatment

The duration of the treatment will depend on the kind of therapy they are receiving as well as some other factors. External radiation sessions usually take about 15 minutes. Most of the time, patients are treated five times per week and the therapy lasts from between three and nine weeks. The treatment is painless.

Internal radiation sometimes requires the patient to stay in the hospital for a few days. Treatments are usually given repeatedly over a couple of days and go on for a few weeks. Placing the radioactive substance into the body can be painful, so the older adult may receive anesthesia during the procedure.

Treatment for cancer is often tiring and stressful. Senior care can offer support to your aging relative while they go through treatment and recovery. Senior care providers can take care of household duties, like cleaning, cooking, and laundry, while the older adult rests. Senior care providers can also drive them to their treatments. Depending on how severely the treatment affects your loved one, they may need round-the-clock care. A senior care provider can be hired to spend just a few hours per day at the older adult’s home, for the entire day, and even for overnight shifts.

Sources

https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/radiation-therapy
https://www.cancer.net/navigating-cancer-care/how-cancer-treated/radiation-therapy/what-expect-when-having-radiation-therapy
https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/treatment-types/radiation/basics.html
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/radiation-therapy/about/pac-20385162

If you or an aging loved-one are considering senior care in Osakis, MN, please contact the caring staff at Alternative Senior Care today. Providing Home Care in Central Minnesota and Surrounding Communities. Call us Today (320) 352-3350.