Marie Curie discovered radium in 1898, but it wasn’t until 1901 that its effects on the human body became evident. This happened when Henri Becquerel carried a tube of radium in his coat pocket for a few hours. A week or two later, he noticed severe skin inflammation where the tube had been.
In the early days, radiation treatment wasn’t very safe. Some pioneering scientists even lost their lives due to radiation exposure, including Marie Curie, who died of aplastic anemia. Thankfully, over a century later, doctors have refined radiation therapy to help shrink and eliminate tumors safely. Nowadays, millions of people live cancer-free thanks to these advancements.
**How Radiation Treatments Kill Cancer Cells**
Radiation therapy works by using radioactive gamma rays, X-rays, and charged particles to damage the DNA of cancer cells. This can happen directly or through the creation of free radicals, which also damage DNA. When cancer cells lose their DNA, they can’t reproduce, die, and are eventually flushed out by the body.
However, radiation can also harm normal cells. After years of experimentation, doctors now know how much radiation different cells can tolerate. They develop targeted treatments to destroy cancer cells while sparing healthy ones as much as possible. Depending on the type of cancer, doctors may use one of three main types of radiation treatments:
1. **External-beam radiation therapy:** A machine outside the body directs radiation beams at the cancer cells.
2. **Brachytherapy:** Radioactive pellets are placed close to the tumor, commonly used for prostate, breast, ovarian, and uterine cancers.
3. **Systemic radiation:** Materials like radioactive iodine are injected into the bloodstream to tackle certain cancers.
**Robotic Radiosurgery**
Robotic radiosurgery, such as the CyberKnife system, targets difficult tumors in the prostate, brain, lungs, pancreas, liver, and spine. The CyberKnife uses a three-dimensional coordinate system to aim multiple radiation beams with incredible precision, less than a millimeter variation. Modern stereotactic systems can deliver high doses to cancer cells while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy cells.
For CyberKnife treatment, patients typically visit an outpatient center for one to five days, then leave after each session, often with minimal or no side effects. This treatment is usually more cost-effective and achieves equal or better outcomes than other robotic radiosurgery methods.
**Is Robotic Radiosurgery Right for My Prostate Cancer?**
If you’re considering robotic radiosurgery for prostate cancer, doctors with experience in this area can assess whether it’s suitable for you. If chosen as a candidate, you’ll work with a team, including a radiation oncologist, a medical physicist, a radiation technician, and a surgeon. They’ll use imaging studies like MRIs and CT scans to map out your cancer.
After mapping the tumor, a radiation oncologist will plan the radiation dosage and targets. This plan gets programmed into the robot for precise treatment. During the procedure, the robotic arm moves around you while ensuring radiation hits the cancer cells, not healthy tissue.
Modern radiation therapies like CyberKnife mean you can continue enjoying life. Men aged 40 to 75 should discuss prostate cancer tests, such as PSA tests or rectal exams, with their doctors. Early detection often leads to less invasive treatment options.