Role of Radiation Therapy in Palliative Care for the Patient With Cancer

Author: Molly Lindquist

Medically reviewed by Dr. Doug Blayney on September 23, 2024.

When you or a loved one is diagnosed with cancer, there are a lot of new things to learn about. It can be overwhelming – we know because our team has been there. So we’re here to help walk you through some of the areas of cancer that might be helpful to you as your navigate your experience, or walk by the side of a loved one. Today, we're going to talk about how radiation therapy can help people with cancer feel better, even if it is not being used to cure the cancer. This is called palliative care. Palliative means a medicine or form of medical care that relieves symptoms without dealing with the cause of the condition. Don't worry if some of these words are new to you - we'll explain everything as we go along.

Introduction

When someone has cancer, they might be on treatments or have symptoms impacting their quality of life. In addition to trying to treat the cancer directly, doctors also focus on helping them feel as good as possible. This is what we call palliative care. It's all about making sure the person with cancer is comfortable and has the best quality of life possible. One way to do this is with radiation therapy. Let's learn more about how this works.

Understanding Palliative Care in Cancer Treatment

Palliative care is like a big, warm hug for people with serious illnesses like cancer. It's not about trying to cure the cancer, but about helping the person feel better in many ways. This can include:

• Helping with physical pain or discomfort or other symptoms from the cancer and its treatment
• Supporting emotional needs
• Assisting with day-to-day activities

There are different types of palliative care. Some involve medicine, some involve therapy, and some, like radiation therapy, use special medical equipment. The main goals of palliative care are:

1. To improve the person's quality of life
2. To manage pain and other uncomfortable symptoms
3. To provide emotional support for the patient and their family

Palliative care is all about making sure the person with cancer feels as good as possible, even if the cancer can't be cured.

What is Radiation Therapy?

Now, let's talk about radiation therapy. It might sound scary, but it's actually a very helpful tool in treating cancer and helping people feel better.

Radiation therapy uses special energy beams, kind of like very strong x-rays, to shrink tumors or kill cancer cells. It's like having a very powerful flashlight that can zap the cancer cells without hurting the healthy cells too much.

There are two main types of radiation therapy used in palliative care:

1. External beam radiation therapy: This is when the radiation comes from a machine outside the body.
2. Brachytherapy: This is when tiny radioactive seeds are put inside the body, right next to the tumor.

When radiation therapy is used to try to cure cancer, it's usually given in higher doses over a longer time. But in palliative care, it's often given in lower doses or for a shorter time. The goal isn't to cure the cancer, but to help the person feel better.

Role of Radiation Therapy in Palliative Care

Radiation therapy can be super helpful in palliative care. Here's how:

• It can shrink tumors that are causing pain or other problems.
• It can stop bleeding caused by tumors.
• It can help if a tumor is blocking something in the body, like the throat, intestines or airways.
• It can help shrink tumors in the brain, and reduce the symptoms caused by pressure on the normal brain tissue.

Radiation therapy is often used to help with pain from cancer that has spread to the bones or brain. It can really make a difference in how a person feels day-to-day.

Benefits of Radiation Therapy in Palliative Care

There are lots of good things about using radiation therapy in palliative care:

1. It can really help with pain. Many people feel much better after treatment.
2. It can shrink tumors, which can help with many different symptoms.
3. It can help people move around more easily and do more of the things they enjoy.
4. Sometimes, it can help people feel well enough to try other treatments if they want to.

The best part is that these benefits often happen pretty quickly. Many people start feeling better within a few days or weeks of starting treatment.

Side Effects and Risks of Radiation Therapy in Palliative Care

Like any medical treatment, radiation therapy can have some side effects. It's important to know about these, but remember, in palliative care, the doctors work hard to make sure the benefits outweigh any discomfort.

Common side effects can include:

• Feeling tired (fatigue)
• Skin becoming red or sore where the radiation is given
• Hair loss if part of the head is radiated
• Feeling sick to your stomach (nausea) or having diarrhea
• Inflammation of normal lung tissue surrounding the body part being radiated

These side effects are usually mild and go away after treatment ends. The doctors and nurses will help manage any side effects to keep the person as comfortable as possible.

When deciding whether to use radiation therapy, the medical team will carefully consider the potential benefits and risks. They'll talk with the patient and their family to make the best decision together.

We’ve been there. We get it.

The Manta Cares team is composed of cancer survivors, caregivers and oncologists - so we truly understand the challenges that come with a cancer diagnosis because we’ve been there. We are here to walk with you as you go through your own cancer experience. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions. We are even developing disease-specific step-by-step maps to show you all the paths you might face during your cancer experience and connect you with relevant support and resources. Sign up for access to our Manta Maps here.

Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter and check out our free resources like our Chemotherapy Checklist for Caregivers, Financial Checklist for Cancer Treatment and more. We also put out a bi-weekly podcast called the Patient from Hell to educate, empower and hopefully inspire you as you go through this crappy experience. You can listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or anywhere you listen to podcasts. Dealing with cancer as a patient or caregiver can feel really lonely. Just know that you are not alone in this experience.

Conclusion

Radiation therapy plays a really important role in palliative care for people with cancer. It's a powerful tool that can help manage pain, shrink tumors, and improve quality of life. While it isn’t being used to get rid of the cancer in these cases, it can make a big difference in how a person feels.

If you or someone you love has cancer and is considering palliative care, don't be afraid to ask your doctors about radiation therapy. They can explain how it might help in your specific situation. Remember, palliative care is all about helping people with cancer feel as good as possible and enjoy life as much as they can. Radiation therapy is just one of the many ways that doctors can help achieve this goal.

FAQs about radiation therapy in palliative care

How effective is radiation therapy in palliative care?

Radiation therapy can be very effective in palliative care of pain due to cancer or reducing the symptoms of cancer deposits in the brain. Many people experience significant pain relief and improvement in their symptoms within a few days or weeks of treatment.

What are the typical side effects of palliative radiation therapy? 

The most common side effects are fatigue, skin irritation or hair loss in the treated area, and sometimes nausea. These are usually mild and temporary.

How long does palliative radiation therapy take?

It varies, but palliative radiation therapy is often given in shorter courses than curative treatment. It might be just a single treatment or one or two  weeks of regular treatments.

Can palliative radiation therapy be combined with other treatments?

Yes, it often can be. Your medical team will work together to create the best care plan for you, which might include radiation therapy along with other treatments like medication or chemotherapy.