Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy (also called radiation therapy) is one of the most effective treatments for cancer. It uses carefully targeted high-energy radiation to damage the DNA of cancer cells, preventing them from growing and dividing while protecting as much healthy tissue as possible.

More than half of people diagnosed with cancer will receive radiotherapy during their treatment. Depending on the type of cancer and the profile of each patient, it may be used to:

• cure cancer
• reduce the chance of cancer returning after surgery
• shrink a tumour before surgery
• treat cancer that has spread
• relieve symptoms like pain and improve quality of life

Modern radiotherapy uses advanced imaging, computer planning and highly accurate treatment delivery to maximise tumour control while reducing side effects.

Radiotherapy damages the DNA inside cancer cells. Unlike healthy cells, cancer cells are less able to repair this damage.

Over time the damaged cancer cells die and the body naturally removes them. Depending on the cancer, the tumour may shrink over weeks or months after treatment has finished.

Although healthy tissues also receive a small amount of radiation, they usually recover much more effectively than cancer cells.

Side effects depend on the part of the body being treated. Many patients continue working and carrying out their normal activities throughout treatment.

Common side effects include:

• tiredness
• skin irritation
• temporary soreness
• changes specific to the treatment area

Most side effects improve after treatment finishes. Your treatment team will discuss the possible side effects before treatment begins and provide support throughout your care.

Modern radiotherapy machines are designed to deliver radiation safely and accurately to treat cancer and certain non-cancerous conditions. The most appropriate technology depends on the type of cancer, its location, and your individual treatment goals.

The three main types of radiotherapy machines are:

• Linear Accelerators (LINACs) – the most commonly used radiotherapy machines worldwide. Modern LINACs treat a wide range of cancers and many are equipped to deliver highly precise stereotactic radiotherapy (SABR/SBRT) and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS).
• Gamma Knife® – a specialised stereotactic radiosurgery system designed exclusively for conditions within the brain, including brain metastases, meningiomas, vestibular schwannomas, arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) and trigeminal neuralgia.
• CyberKnife® – a robotic stereotactic radiotherapy system that can treat both brain and body tumours. It uses real-time image guidance and, for selected cancers, can track tumour movement during treatment to maintain accuracy.

Modern stereotactic radiotherapy systems are capable of sub-millimetre treatment accuracy. Depending on the tumour location, some treatments may be planned with no additional margin around the visible tumour (a 0 mm planning target volume margin), while others require a small margin to account for normal movement and treatment uncertainties. The appropriate margin depends on the cancer being treated, the imaging used and the technology available.

Radiotherapy is heavily subsidised in Australia, with patients paying 10–20% of the total cost of their treatment at private care centres.

As it is usually an outpatient treatment, it is not covered by private health funds and there is an out-of-pocket cost for private care.

Before treatment begins, we provide a clear explanation of the expected out-of-pocket costs.