Basic Principles of Radiation

Radiation therapy uses ionizing radiation in the treatment of patients with both benign and malignant diseases.

Radiation therapy is considered a local treatment because cells are being destroyed only in the area being treated (Haas, 2004).

The dose of radiation therapy is determined by several factors (Haas, 2004).

• Radiosensitivity of the tumor
• Normal tissue tolerance
• Volume of tissue to be irradiated

The gray (Gy) has replaced the rad (radiation absorbed dose) as the accepted term for radiation dosage. To summarize, 1 Gray (Gy) = 100 rads;1 cGy = 1 rad (Haas, 2004).

For radiation following breast-conserving surgery, the typical daily dose is 180–200 cGy delivered five days a week over a 4.5- to 5-week period. The daily dose usually is called a fraction (Dow, 2006).

For some tumors, including breast tumors, a boost of radiation is administered to complete the course of treatment. A boost is delivered to a limited area within the treatment field that is at greater risk of recurrence. For breast cancer, this is usually at or near the lumpectomy site (Haas, 2004).

A boost dose to the primary tumor site takes an additional five to eight daily fractions of 200 cGy.

Dow, K.H. (2006). A pocket guide to breast cancer (3rd ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.

Haas, M. (2004). Radiation therapy. In C.G. Varricchio (Ed.). A cancer source book for nurses (8th ed., pp. 131–147). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.