Elekta Radiation Therapy at The Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital

Radiation therapy uses ionizing radiation produced by a linear accelerator (linac) to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. The radiation passes through the body and delivers dose to the affected area while minimizing dose to the skin and tissue it passes through.

Although the radiation affects both cancer and normal cells, it has a greater effect on the cancer cells, damaging their genetic material and making impossible for these cells to continue to grow and divide. Treatment aimed at cure will give the highest possible dose of radiation to the cancer area (within safe limits) to attempt to kill all the cancer cells. Sometimes smaller doses are used, where the aim is to reduce the size of a tumor and/or relieve symptoms.

Electrons are used to treat skin cancers and other superficial lesions, as they are absorbed by the first few centimeters of skin, leaving very little dose to pass into the body. Radiation therapy is used to both cure disease and alleviate the symptoms of cancer. There also are several non-malignant conditions treated using radiation therapy.
http://www.griffincancercenter.org/Tr...