Radiotherapy

The Technical Bit !!

I promise to keep it short, but some of you may find it interesting.

The Machines are made by an Amercan Company, Varian Medical Systems

They cost in excess of £1m each and can deliver high speed treatment.

In my case just 20 seconds each visit.

The machine works very simply by generating electrons, and then accelerating them in a linear accelerator to the speed of light. During the acceleration stage the electrons gain energy. This beam of electrons is then fired in a controlled manner throu the head of the machine, and focused to the shape of the tumour.

When the stream of electrons hit their target (the tumour) they disipate their energy into the tumour as Photons.

The clever bit is that photons have the ablity to destroy the DNA in the cells they hit, and cancer cells are unable to regenerate their DNA and eventualy die. Healthy cells hit by the electrons are able

to regenerate their DNA

Radiotherapy can cure some cancers and can also reduce the chance of a cancer coming back after surgery. It may also be used to control a cancer or to help improve the symptoms of it.

Thats it Folks  -   No more technical stuff !!!

After my 5 weeks of Radiotherapy treatment I had to wait 6 weeks before surgery. This allowed my body, and specifically the area treated to rest. Surgery was planned for 8th November 2011at the Royal National Orthopeadic Hospital at Stanmore

More to follow !!