External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) is one of the most commonly used types of radiation therapy treatment techniques for cancer patients.
In EBRT, high-dose radiation is used to kill cancerous cells and shrink tumours.
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EBRT is the delivery of a targeted radiation beam from outside the body via advanced treatment units available worldwide.
A radiation oncologist, a doctor who specialises in using radiation to treat cancer, designs and monitors EBRT.
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In this treatment, a radiation machine moves around the patient's body while delivering radiation without touching the patient.
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The treatment is designed in such a way that the cancerous cell is destroyed while normal and healthy tissues around it are protected.
Patients will never feel anything while the radiation is being delivered.
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The main benefit of EBRT treatment is that it is a painless procedure and does not make the patient radioactive during or after the treatment.
As a result, modern EBRT may help to reduce the risk of traditional radiation-related side effects.
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Thus, during an EBRT procedure, a radiation machine extreme precisely directs external beams of radiation into cancerous areas inside your body.
This method helps to protect healthy tissues.
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This type of treatment plan includes one-day treatments to a few weeks of treatment.
EBRT treatment can be delivered via X-rays beam, gamma rays, or particle beam such as electron beam, proton beam, carbon ion beam, neutron beam etc.
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Depending on the treatment site and size, this therapy may be given alone or with a combination of chemotherapy or surgery.
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EBRT is used to treat many types of cancers, including breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, uterine cancer, colorectal cancer, leukaemia, melanoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), and others. Hence, EBRT is available for any treatment site and any stage of tumor.