Can Chemotherapy & Radiation Be Done at the Same Time?

Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are two common methods for treating various forms of cancer. Although they usually used separately, treatment approaches frequently combine the two, as well as other forms of cancer therapy.

The Facts

• According to the American Cancer Society, chemotherapy is the name given to drug treatment designed to kill or damage cancer cells. Radiation therapy achieves the same objective through the use of internal or external doses of ionizing radiation.

Common Uses

• Used as a targeted treatment, radiation therapy effects a single area of the body. On the other hand, chemotherapy circulates throughout the body as a systemic treatment of cancer.

Chemotherapy Before Radiation Therapy

• Chemotherapy used prior to radiation treatments skrinks the size of tumors. When used in this manner, it is called a neo-adjuvant therapy.

Chemotherapy After Radiation Therapy

• When used after radiation treatments chemotherapy destroys any remaining cancer cells. When used in this manner, it is called an adjuvant therapy.

Additional Treatments

• Doctors often combine additional treatments with chemotherapy or radiation therapy. These include surgery and biological treatment, which uses compounds that boost or restore the body’s immune response.