Radiation Therapy For Cancer Pain

Treatment Overview

Radiation can be used to control pain by destroying a growing tumor that is invading or interfering with normal tissue, such as when a tumor presses on bones, nerves, or other organs. This may be done with radiation to part of the body or, in rare cases, with radiation to the whole body. Or you may be given a shot with a radioactive medicine.

Radiation therapy is the use of X-rays to destroy cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation damages the cells in the area being treated, stopping or slowing the growth of the cancer cells.