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Does radiation therapy kill only cancer cells?


No, radiation therapy can also damage normal cells, leading to side effects (see Question 10).

Doctors take potential damage to normal cells into account when planning a course of radiation therapy (see Question 5). The amount of radiation that normal tissue can safely receive is known for all parts of the body. Doctors use this information to help them decide where to aim radiation during treatment.

Why do patients receive radiation therapy?


Radiation therapy is sometimes given with curative intent (that is, with the hope that the treatment will cure a cancer, either by eliminating a tumor, preventing cancer recurrence, or both) (1). In such cases, radiation therapy may be used alone or in combination with surgery, chemotherapy, or both.


Radiation therapy may also be given with palliative intent. Palliative treatments are not intended to cure. Instead, they relieve symptoms and reduce the suffering caused by cancer.

Some examples of palliative radiation therapy are:

Radiation given to the brain to shrink tumors formed from cancer cells that have spread to the brain from another part of the body (metastases).
Radiation given to shrink a tumor that is pressing on the spine or growing within a bone, which can cause pain.
Radiation given to shrink a tumor near the esophagus, which can interfere with a patient’s ability to eat and drink.