What is Radiotherapy?

It has long been known that radiation can damage human cells - and radiotherapy harnesses that power to treat cancers.

Ionizing radiation - similar to x-rays - can penetrate tissue, and alter the part of the cell which regulates its growth and reproduction. Healthy cells can recover from this damage, while cancer cells cannot.

There are two types of radiotherapy - delivered from outside the body by a machine, and using radioactive implants placed inside the body. Researchers are working to increase the effectiveness of radiotherapy by targeting the beam of energy more precisely, and making the cancer cells more sensitive to it.

Continue article at BBC News