Radiation Treatment for Leiomyosarcoma

Radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy, is a common treatment method that is used against many cancer forms including leiomyosarcoma, along with other treatments such as resection, chemotherapy and drug therapy. Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is a rare form of cancer characterized by the uncontrolled growth and proliferation of the cells lining the smooth muscles. Smooth muscles are part of the involuntary muscles, which are present in almost all the body parts such as the stomach, uterus, lungs, liver and intestines. In radiation therapy, the malignant cells of the smooth muscles are irradiated with high energy beams of light, which help in destroying the cancer cells.

Types of Radiation Treatment

• Generally two types of radiation methods, internal therapy and external beam therapy, are utilized in order to treat patients suffering from leiomyosarcoma. In internal therapy, a device attached to a wire or a catheter is placed inside or near the malignant cells of the smooth muscles. The device then focuses high-power radiation on the cancer cells in order to destroy them. With external beam therapy, the cancer cells are exposed to radiation externally, which aids in destroying them and hence prevents their metastasis.

  In some cases a rare form of radiation therapy is used in which radioactive seeds (isotopes of radioactive elements such as Iodine) are placed around the malignant cancer cells in a thin plastic bag. This method has not shown any favorable results in curing the cancer; however, it helps in relieving the discomfort and pain caused due to leiomyosarcoma.

Time Frame

• The exact time frame for administering radiotherapy varies, depending on the stage of cancer, and the metastasis of the malignant cells inside the body of the patient. However, in most cases, radiation therapy is administered periodically for one to two months.

Benefits

• Radiotherapy is especially found to be beneficial to the elderly people who cannot undergo surgery (resection) for the removal of the tumor, and also to patients suffering from heart ailments and other medical conditions.

Effects

• Loss of appetite, loss of hair, fatigue and tiredness, skin rashes and irritations are the mostcommon side effects experienced by the patients undergoing radiation therapy for the treatment of leiomyosarcoma.

Precautions and Warnings

• Some of the common precautionary measures one needs to follow while undergoing radiotherapy include reducing exposure towards the sun's radiation and environmental pollutants. It is also important to quit smoking and reduce alcohol consumption.