Liquid Radiotherapy: Emerging Radiation Delivery Techniques in Oncology

What Is Radiotherapy?

Radiotherapy (also known as radiation therapy) is a common cancer treatment that uses radiation, usually high-power X-rays, to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy and surgery are two examples of treatments that can be combined with radiation therapy. A radiation oncologist is a healthcare provider who specializes in radiation therapy. A radiation oncologist determines whether radiation therapy is beneficial. It also designs a radiation treatment plan that takes into account the dose of radiation that will destroy cancer cells without damaging surrounding healthy tissue.

What Is the Use of Radiation Therapy?

Radiotherapy kills cancer cells, shrinks tumors, and relieves cancer symptoms. It can be one’s only remedy, or it can be used for:

1. Shrinking tumors before other cancer treatments (neoadjuvant therapy), such as surgery.

2. It destroys cancer cells left after surgery (adjuvant therapy).

3. Kills cancer cells that have recurred after previous treatment.

Radiotherapy can also destroy benign (noncancerous) tumors that are causing symptoms.

What Are the Types of Radiotherapy?

Radiotherapy can be given from outside the body (external radiation therapy) or from inside (internal radiation therapy).

The most common form of radiation therapy is external radiation therapy. This involves using a machine to target affected areas of the body with an external source of high-energy radiation. The radiation passes through the body and reaches the cancer area.

In internal radiation therapy, a radiation source is placed inside the body. These are radioactive implants placed in or very close to the tumor or radioactive fluids that are taken up by tumor cells at the tumor site. The following are the types of radiotherapy:

1. External Beam Radiotherapy: This is done by a machine outside the body and usually does not require hospitalization.

2. Internal Radiotherapy: This is done by a machine outside the body and usually does not require hospitalization.

3. Particle Radiotherapy: This is a type of external radiation therapy that uses a beam of high-energy neutrons, protons, or other heavier positive ions to treat cancer.

What Is Liquid Radiotherapy?

Radioactive liquid therapy is used for some types of cancer. It can be taken as a drink, capsule, or injection. They are also called radioisotopes or radionuclides. Find out about the different types and how to get them. Examples of radioactive liquids are as under:

1. Iodine-131 - Thyroid Cancer and Noncancerous (Benign) Thyroid Diseases.

2. Phosphorus (P-32) - For some blood disorders.

3. Radium-223 - For cancer that has spread to the bone (secondary bone cancer).

4. Strontium 89 - Treatment for secondary bone cancer.

The radioactive part of the liquid is called an isotope. It may be bound to another substance designed to transport the isotope into the tumor.

What Are the Types of Liquid Radiotherapy?

Although the radioactive liquid moves through the body, it has little effect on healthy cells in the body because it tends to collect in areas where cancer is present. The following are the types of liquid therapy:

1. Radioactive Iodine Therapy: Radioiodine therapy is a type of internal radiation therapy used to treat thyroid cancer. It also helps diagnose and treat several other cancers and diseases. Radioactive iodine is iodine-131 (I-131), a type of radioactive iodine. Also called radioactive iodine. Radioactive iodine is usually received as a capsule or drink.

• Before Treatment: One’s doctor may ask them to follow an iodine-restricted diet before receiving radioactive iodine therapy. They may also be asked to change thyroid hormones or other drugs for a while. A scan will be done before treatment. This will give one’s doctor a clear picture of their thyroid condition. This may be done on the day of treatment or days or weeks before.

• Working with Radioactive Iodine: This is because radioactive iodine from drinks and capsules is absorbed by the body, even if thyroid cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body. Radiation then destroys the cancer cells. This treatment is called targeted radiation therapy because it works directly on cancer and has little effect on healthy cells in the body.

2. Radioactive Strontium Therapy: Radioactive strontium therapy treats cancer that has spread to the bone. Radioactive strontium is the radioactive form of metallic strontium (Strontium-89). Radioactive strontium is taken up by cancer cells in the bone. This is due to its similarities to calcium, which bone cells likewise absorb.

• Before Treatment: One’s doctor will tell them to stop taking calcium supplements two weeks before starting treatment.

• During Treatment: Inject radioactive strontium intravenously. It will take a few minutes. Patients are usually treated in an outpatient setting and can go home immediately.

3. Radioactive Phosphorus Therapy:

• Radioactive phosphorus (P-32) is a form of internal radiation therapy used to treat some blood disorders, such as polycythemia vera (PV) and essential thrombocythemia (ET).

• Radioactive phosphorus is referred to as P-32. It is a radioactive shape of sodium phosphate.

• Bone marrow absorbs radioactive phosphorus and receives a radiation dose. Radiation slows down the number of red blood cells and platelets that are produced. Very little radiation reaches the rest of the body. This treatment is not commonly used because other types of treatment are available.

4. Radium 223 for Metastatic Prostate Cancer: Radium-223 is a form of internal radiation therapy. Internal radiation therapy is the treatment of cancer with radiation from inside the body. It may develop because cancer that originated in the prostate has spread to the bone. This is metastatic or advanced prostate cancer. Radium-223 is a weakly radioactive form of metallic radium. This treatment is available in the Department of Nuclear Medicine. It takes about an hour.

• Patients Suitable for Radium Treatment:

  • Radium-223 can shrink the area of ​​cancer cells that have spread to the bone. Doing so will reduce pain and other symptoms, allowing one to live a more comfortable life.

  • One may need to go to another hospital for treatment, as not all hospitals offer treatment.

  • Radium-223 is intended for prostate cancer patients who:

  • The patient was on hormone therapy, but it did not work.

  • The patient who is taking Docetaxel (a chemotherapy drug) is not suitable for it.

  • Cancer has spread to the bone but not to other organs.

  • Not be treated with abiraterone.

• Working of Radium: Radium targets bone cancer cells because it functions similarly to calcium, which bone cells likewise absorb. Cancer cells in the bone absorb radium-223 and emit radiation that travels very short distances. This means that cancer cells are exposed to high doses of radiation, which can destroy them. Healthy cells receive little or no radiation.

What Are the Side Effects of Liquid Radiotherapy?

A few of the side effects are as follows:

• Malaise.

• Nausea.

• Vomit.

• Diarrhea.

• Headache.

• Skin irritation (dry and itchy scalp).

• Itchy, dry scalp.

• Pain when swallowing.

• Loss of appetite.

• A burning sensation in the throat and chest.

• Pain or burning sensation when one pee.

• Need to urinate frequently (often in small amounts).

• Bloating or abdominal pain.

• A sense of urgency to defecate.

Conclusion

If one has been diagnosed with cancer, one must not hesitate to know more about radiotherapy as it is one of their treatment options. Several types of radiation treatment can be used to target particular malignancies and tumor types. They make it possible for radiation oncologists to administer exact radiation dosages that can eradicate cancer cells without endangering healthy tissue. Find out how a specific type of radiation therapy will target the tumor with the least amount of hazardous radiation exposure.