RADIATION THERAPY IN CANCER DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

Mahadev Govindrao Tate* and Gayatri Mohan Saini

ABSTRACT

Radioisotopes are unstable atomic isotopes that give off radiation spontaneously. They can be measured by a suitable apparatus at amounts as small as one-billionth of a gram. Thus, they can be safely used in small amounts as in the body.[3] Today, radioisotopes are used both diagnostically and therapeutically in medicine. Radiation therapy is used against many types of cancer. About 60% of cancer cases require radiation therapy. Carcinomas are an example of a type of cancer that often has high division rates. These types of cancer tend to respond well to radiation therapy. Radiation therapy is delivered in a 'Radiation oncology' department. More than 14 million new cases of cancer are diagnosed globally each year; radiation therapy (RT) has the potential to improve the rates of cure of 3.5 million people and provide palliative relief for an additional 3.5 million people.[12] The success rate of radiation therapy is near about 80% for many cancers.

Keywords: Radioisotopes, Radiation therapy (RT).