“According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 60% of patients with malignant tumors and some benign tumors need radiation therapy. However, due to various reasons, many patients miss the timing of radiation therapy, resulting in incomplete cure or premature recurrence of tumors. Therefore, it is highly recommended for tumor patients to seek multidisciplinary consultation or consult with radiation oncologists before treatment!” Question:What is radiation therapy for tumor? Answer:Radiation therapy for tumor is one of the three major means of tumor treatment, together with surgery and chemotherapy. Radiotherapy uses radiation (X or gamma rays) to kill tumor cells by focusing on the tumor area. Q: What is the best time for radiation therapy for tumor? A: According to the characteristics of tumor, radiotherapy alone, or radiotherapy before, during or after surgery, or combined with chemotherapy can be used to obtain the best tumor treatment effect. If surgery has been performed, it should be carried out as early as possible and no later than three months after surgery. Q:Which tumors and clinical symptoms are suitable for radiation therapy? A: Common tumors such as glioma, nasopharyngeal cancer and other head and neck tumors, lung cancer, esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, pancreatic cancer, rectal cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, metastatic tumors and tumor pain treatment may have indications for radiotherapy depending on the condition. Q:How does radiation therapy work? A:Radiation therapy is basically divided into two categories, external and internal radiation, which are referred to as external and internal radiation therapy respectively. External radiotherapy uses a linear gas pedal or gamma radiation source to irradiate a lesion in the body from outside the body, while internal radiotherapy introduces radioactive drugs into the lesion through a vein or tissue puncture to irradiate the tumor. Q: Is there any radiation in the patient receiving radiation therapy? Do they need to be isolated? A: Patients receiving external radiotherapy are not radioactive and therefore do not need to be isolated during treatment; patients receiving internal radiotherapy are radioactive due to the use of radiopharmaceuticals and may need to be isolated for a certain period of time, depending on the half-life of the radiopharmaceuticals used and the treatment dose as determined by the physician. Q: Are there any toxic side effects of radiation therapy for tumors? A: Radiation therapy for tumor is a local treatment, which is non-invasive, painless and has no systemic toxic side effects, and only some degree of reaction may occur at the treatment site. Depending on the treatment site, the symptoms may vary. For example, patients with head and neck tumors may experience mouth ulcers or dry mouth; patients with chest tumors may experience shortness of breath and swallowing discomfort; intestinal tumors are prone to abdominal pain and diarrhea; most of the symptoms are mild and can be relieved by themselves after a period of time after treatment. Q:Does radiation therapy affect blood picture (or blood cells)? A: Unlike chemotherapy, most radiotherapy regimens have no hematologic toxicity and do not lead to bone marrow suppression, and do not cause a drop in blood picture or blood cells. Therefore many patients who cannot tolerate chemotherapy can be well treated with radiation therapy. Q:Does radiation therapy lead to tumor metastasis? A:The question of “radiation therapy promotes tumor metastasis” is a concern for many patients and their families and even doctors. There is no evidence to support this argument. The scientific and reasonable explanation is that there are radiation-insensitive cells (like drug-resistant bacteria) in tumors, and after radiation therapy kills sensitive tumor cells, these cells may proliferate due to increased nutrition. Therefore, many tumors need to be treated with chemotherapy or other drugs in combination with radiation therapy to eradicate such insensitive cells. Q: Does radiation therapy require hospitalization? A: The side effects of radiation therapy are mild, and most patients can complete the treatment course in an outpatient clinic without hospitalization. Q: What is the cost of radiation therapy? A: The final cost of radiation therapy can be affected by different tumors, different complexity of the disease and different treatment techniques. As with chemotherapy, radiation therapy for tumors is covered by major medical insurance and has a special medical insurance code.