Klinik für Strahlenheilkunde

Radiation therapy, also known as radiation oncology, radiotherapy, or radiological medicine, involves the medical use of ionizing radiation. Its goal is to cure diseases—particularly malignant tumors, but also benign ones—to slow their progression, or to alleviate symptoms.

Alongside surgery and drug therapy, radiation therapy plays a crucial role in the treatment of cancer. It can be used as the sole treatment for a tumor or administered before, during, or after surgery. Additionally, radiation therapy can be combined with anti-tumor drugs.

In this context, radiation-sensitizing substances can be administered during chemotherapy or immunotherapy to make the tumor tissue even more sensitive to radiation. To better protect healthy tissue, radiation-protective substances can also be applied. Which treatment is the right one depends on the specific case and is determined in an individualized treatment plan. 

Depending on the type of cancer, radiation therapy is used curatively or palliatively. In curative treatment, the goal is to completely destroy the tumor. If this is successful, the patient is cured. It may therefore also be advisable to administer preventive radiation, for example after surgery, to destroy any individual tumor cells that may have remained in the surgical area. When a cure for a tumor is no longer possible—for example, if metastases are already present—palliative radiation therapy ensures that symptoms such as pain, shortness of breath, bleeding, or paralysis are alleviated or even prevented. This significantly improves the well-being and quality of life of the cancer patient.

Two basic procedures are used in radiation therapy: percutaneous radiation therapy and brachytherapy.

Percutaneous radiation therapy

Percutaneous radiation therapy is a highly precise form of external beam radiation therapy in which radiation is directed at the tumor from outside the body. Using state-of-the-art imaging and computer-controlled radiation techniques—such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT)—the affected tissue is treated with millimeter precision.

This proven and effective method is used for a wide range of tumor diseases, often in combination with surgery or drug therapies. The major advantage of percutaneous radiation therapy is that the radiation can be precisely adapted to the shape of the tumor, enabling effective treatment while simultaneously minimizing damage to the surrounding healthy tissue.

Brachytherapy

Brachytherapy is an extremely precise form of internal radiation therapy in which a tiny radioactive source is placed directly in or on the tumor. Using state-of-the-art imaging (ultrasound, CT, or MRI) and computer-controlled applicators or thin hollow needles—under anesthesia if necessary to ensure a pain-free procedure—the affected tissue is irradiated with millimeter precision. This effective method is used particularly for prostate, uterine, breast, and skin cancer, often in combination with external radiation therapy or chemotherapy. The major advantage of brachytherapy is that the radiation has a very short range, allowing the tumor to be targeted with an extremely high dose while simultaneously sparing the surrounding healthy tissue as much as possible. This enables excellent chances of cure with good tolerability.