• Colon and Rectal Cancers - Radiation Treatment
• Highlights
• Introduction
• Causes
• Risk Factors and Prevention
• Symptoms
• Diagnosis and Screening

Radiation Treatment

Radiation therapy uses x-rays to kill cancer cells that might remain after an operation or to shrink large tumors before an operation so that they can be removed surgically. The object of radiation therapy is to damage the tumor as much as possible without harming surrounding tissues. Radiation may be administered in the following ways:

• Externally by an x-ray machine (external beam radiation).
• By passing radioactive pellets through thin plastic tubes inserted into the intestine.