Radiation therapy (oncology general): Use of high-energy ionizing radiation to kill or damage cancer cells by inducing DNA breaks.
- Purpose:
- Curative: Shrink or eradicate localized tumors.
- Adjuvant: Reduce recurrence risk after surgery.
- Palliative: Relieve symptoms (pain, bleeding, obstruction).
- Delivery types:
- External beam radiation (EBRT) – most common.
- Brachytherapy – internal radioactive sources.
- Stereotactic/radiosurgery – precise high-dose delivery.
- Pharmacist relevance:
- May interact with chemotherapy or targeted therapy (radiosensitization or timing considerations).
- Awareness of acute and chronic toxicities: skin, mucosa, bone marrow, organ-specific effects.
- Guides supportive care and monitoring.
Key point: Radiation is a local cytotoxic therapy used for curative, adjuvant, or palliative purposes across multiple cancers.