What is radiation therapy for lymphoma and leukemia?

Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA)

Radiation therapy (also called radiotherapy) uses high-energy X-rays to destroy leukemia cells, to prevent the cells from spreading and/or to relieve symptoms.

The area treated with radiation therapy and the dose given is based on your specific leukemia diagnosis, including the type of leukemia and your symptoms.

For example, radiation therapy for leukemia may be used to relieve pain or discomfort caused by an enlarged liver or spleen, or swollen lymph nodes. It can also help to treat pain from bone damage caused by leukemia cells growing in the bone marrow. In addition, radiation therapy is sometimes given in low doses just before a stem cell transplant.

Some common radiation treatments used for leukemia patients include the following:

External Beam Radiation Therapy
Total Body Irradiation (TBI)
Total Marrow Irradiation (TMI)

Depending on your individual needs, your leukemia radiation treatments may be combined with other innovative therapies, like immunotherapy and chemotherapy, to prevent the growth of new cancer cells.

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Important: This content reflects information from various individuals and organizations and may offer alternative or opposing points of view. It should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. As always, you should consult with your healthcare provider about your specific health needs.

Radiation Therapy For Cancer

Using ionized energy to kill cells, radiation therapy is used by half of all patients to treat cancer. Radiation kills cancer cells by damaging their genetic material beyond repair, causing them to breakdown and die. Both short- and long-term side effects, such as hair and memory loss, can occur when the therapy kills healthy cells. Different types of radiation exist. When a machine outside the body delivers it, it is called external-beam radiation therapy. If radioactive materials are placed inside the body, it is called internal radiation therapy, or brachytherapy. You can also receive an injection of radioactive iodine, which travels through the body to kill cancer cells, a treatment called systemic radiation therapy. When cancer cant be cured, radiation therapy can be used to shrink tumors to make life more comfortable for a patient. Doctors may use radiation treatments alone or in combination with surgery and/or chemotherapy, which uses drugs to kill cancer cells.

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