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Radiation therapy can help you in your fight against cancer. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells.
Cells in the body start out normal, growing and dividing the way they should. When normal cells change into cancer, they begin to grow and divide uncontrollably. A group of cancer cells is called a cancer tumor.
Radiation destroys cancer cells gradually, over time. The goal of therapy is to focus on and kill as many cancer cells as possible. Radiation can also damage or kill some of the normal cells that are closest to the tumor. Damaged normal cells can repair themselves, often within a day or so.
With external radiation, a machine directs beams of high-energy x-rays at the tumor. The treatment is planned to aim at the cancer and affect the fewest normal cells. The machine can change position so the x-ray beams can enter your body from any angle.
With internal radiation, one or more implants (also called sources) are placed in or around the cancer tumor. The implants put the radiation as close to the cancer as possible. Implants can be temporary or permanent.