This treatment involves the localized use of high-dose radiation (like x-rays) on malignant tumors. Usually, it is not a primary treatment but is used in conjunction with other therapies such as surgical resection and chemotherapy. It is generally used to reduce the size of the symptomatic tumor and help relieve symptoms like pain and shortness of breath.
Factors which can limit the application of this treatment include the volume of the tumor and how near it is to vital organs.
Further Resources
- Understanding Radiotherapy - detailed information on radiotherapy, its side effects, and current research
- University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center's information page on Radiation Oncology
- University of Iowa's Virtual Hospital page on radiation therapy for mesothelioma
- Intrapleural radiation therapy with 90yttrium-silicate. See Kramer, G., et al. - "Long term survival of a patient with malignant pleural mesotheliomaas a late complication of radiotherapy for Hodgkin's disease treated with 0yttrium-silicate" in Lung Cancer, March 2000; 27(3):205-208.