Radiation therapy

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/radiation-therapy

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the treatment modalities?External beam radiation therapy (EBRT), brachytherapy, proton therapy, IMRT, VMAT, SBRT/SRS
2. What is the significance in oncology?Used in approximately 50-60% of cancer patients, either curatively, adjuvantly, or palliatively
3. What is radiation therapy and how does it help fight cancer?Radiation therapy uses invisible rays like X‑rays or gamma rays to damage the DNA of cancer cells, helping them die and shrinking tumors.
4. Why do cancer cells get hurt by radiation more than normal cells?Cancer cells grow very fast, so the rays break their DNA more easily than the slower‑growing healthy cells, which makes the treatment work better on the cancer.

Ionizing Radiation: Radiation with enough energy to remove electrons from atoms and molecules, causing damage to biological tissues.
Apoptosis: Programmed cell death, a natural process that eliminates damaged or unnecessary cells.
Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT): A type of radiation therapy that uses computer-controlled beams to deliver precise radiation doses to a tumor.
Proton Therapy: A type of radiation therapy that uses protons to treat cancer, offering precise targeting and reduced damage to surrounding tissues.