Radiation Therapy Precisely Targets Cancer Cells

Radiation oncologists at Penn Medicine understand that every patient is different and every cancer is different. Because Penn has more treatment options than many other cancer centers, the radiation oncology team can develop customized treatment plans that are designed to target patients’ cancer cells.

“We want to better understand tumor biology so that we can improve targeting of therapy and deliver a more effective dose to the tumor while minimizing toxicity to normal cells,” said Ramesh Rengan, MD, PhD.

Radiation oncology works by focusing radiation directly on cancer cells, damaging their DNA and preventing them from replicating. When cells are unable to replicate, they die.

“Radiation creates reactive oxygen in cells that damages the DNA,” said Dr. Rengan. “Normal cells can repair that damage but for cancer cells it creates a time bomb that destroys the cell the next time it tries to divide.”

Dr. Rengan explained that radiation therapy is given as a series of doses over time. It allows the normal cells time to repair the damage from the radiation while building on the damage to the cancer cells.

Radiation therapy treatment plans are prepared using sophisticated, three-dimensional computerized imaging and treatment planning systems. Treatment options available for cancer patients at Penn include:

• Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT).
• Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT).
• Brachytherapy.
• Gamma Knife^®.
• Mammosite^®.
• Respiratory gating.
• Photodynamic therapy.
• Positron emission therapy (PET).
• Conformal radiation therapy.
• Proton therapy.

While having the latest technology is important in radiation oncology, Dr. Rengan emphasizes the equipment is only as good as the physicians and the team who plan the therapy and deliver the treatment. A critical factor in the success of treatment is the experience of the team. The greatest chance for successful treatment comes from having an experienced team. In addition, many patients at Penn are on established protocols to study the benefits and side effects of their treatment. This helps the team continue to improve treatments and patient care.

For more information about radiation oncology, call 800-789-PENN (7366) or visit PennMedicine.org.