RADIATION AND CANCER CELLS By: Jack Urban

CANCER  One of the worst diseases  Various forms of it  Involves unregulated cell growth

RADIATION THERAPY  Uses high-energy radiation to:  Shrink tumors  Kill cancer cells  Types of radiation:  X-Rays  Gamma Rays  Charged particles

HOW?  Outside the body from external beam radiation  Inside the body from radioactive materials placed inside the body

HOW DOES IT KILL?  Damages the cell’s DNA  Can damage DNA directly  Can create charged particles that damage the DNA  Cells will then:  Stop dividing  Die

HOW IT KILLS  Could take awhile to kill, like:  Days  Weeks  Or even months  Certain tissues can be affected immediately  Other tissues show later effects

THE BAD PART  Radiation also kills normal cells  Pros:  Still kills cancer cells  “Got to take the good with the bad”  Cons:  Shortens life  Less cells

MATERIALS  Computed Tomography Scanner  Radiation Therapy Head Mask  Linear Accelerator used for External-Beam Radiation Therapy

RADIATION  Does the radiation make the patient radioactive?  No  Only radioactive when the patient has the radioactive material in their body for the certain amount of time

SIDE EFFECTS  Diarrhea  Hair loss in treatment area  Mouth problems  Nausea and vomiting

SIDE EFFECTS  Sexual changes  Swelling  Trouble swallowing  Urinary or bladder problems

SOURCES  "About This Book." cancer.gov. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Feb  "Radiation Therapy Principles." cancer.org. N.p., 18 Dec Web. 2 Feb  "Radiation Therapy for Cancer." cancer.gov. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Feb <