Treatment Options for Brain Cancer: Radiotherapy
Radiation therapy uses high-power x-rays, gamma rays, or protons to kill cancer cells. A large machine aims radiation at the tumor and the tissue close to it. Sometimes the radiation may be directed to the entire brain or to the spinal cord.
Radiation therapy usually follows surgery. The radiation kills tumor cells that may remain in the area. Sometimes, patients who cannot have surgery have radiation therapy instead. The treatment schedule depends on the type and size of the tumor and the age of the patient. Each treatment lasts only a few minutes.
Nausea is the most common side effect of radiotherapy, and this can sometimes last for hours. Other side effects include hair loss, and redness and dryness of the skin around the area being treated.