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... CITIZEN-TIMES.com: Radiation therapy uses X-ray beams; chemotherapy involves cancer-fighting drugs Asheville, NC Tuesday, March 28, 2006 12:08 AM Customer Service: Subscribe Now 1999 – 2006 Home Local News National / World Obituaries Sports & Outdoors Business Living Opinion / Editorial Entertainment Podcasts Health & Fitness Technology Travel Subscriber Services Customer Service Health & Fitness Radiation therapy uses X-ray beams; chemotherapy involves cancer-fighting drugs by Brian P.

Quaranta published March 28, 2006 6:00 am Question: How does radiation therapy differ from chemotherapy in cancer treatment?

Advertisement Answer: When a patient is diagnosed with cancer, the treatment plan will usually consist of some combination of three treatments: surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Most people understand what surgery is, but the other two are more confusing.Radiation therapy is the treatment of cancer by exposure to X-rays.

The X-ray was first discovered by Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen in 1896.

Amazingly, within three weeks of this discovery, the first attempt was made to treat cancer with X-rays.

The last 110 years have been spent improving and refining our use of this treatment.Radiation treatment usually involves X-ray beams aimed at the patient from outside his body.

In the past, the use of "low-energy" X-rays o...

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