Advances in Radiotherapy Aim to Better Target Cancer, Spare Healthy Tissue
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Radiation therapy aims to kill cancer cells by directing beams of energy at tumors, but avoiding damage to healthy tissue is a challenge.
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Types of radiotherapy include external beam radiation, proton therapy, image-guided radiation, and brachytherapy where radiation sources are placed inside the body.
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Adaptive therapy uses imaging to adjust treatments as tumors change, but implementing it has been resource intensive.
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Advances like FLASH radiotherapy and heavier ions show promise for more personalized and effective radiation treatment.
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Fusing technology and medical expertise continues to refine radiotherapy to better target cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue.