A biographical report of my Kidney Cancer Cryosurgical treatment. By K Henley. Revised 10 February 2006

Radiotherapy treats cancer by using high-energy x-rays which destroy the cancer cells while doing as little harm as possible to normal cells. It is only helpful for a relatively small number of people with cancer of the kidney.

Radiotherapy can be also used if a cancer of the kidney has spread to other parts of the body, such as the bone. The treatment is given in the hospital radiotherapy department and

the length of your treatment will depend on the type and extent of the cancer.Some people may need radiotherapy each day from Monday to Friday for a number of weeks, while others may need only one or two sessions. Your doctor will discuss the treatment with you.

Radiotherapry can cause general side effects such as feeling sick (nausea), vomiting and tiredness (fatigue). These side effects are usually mild but may be more troublesome, depending on the dose of radiotherapy given and the length of your treatment. The radiotherapist will be able to advise you about what to expect.

These side effects will disappear gradually once your course of treatment is over but it is important to let your doctor know if they continue.

A new development is being used at Christie Hospital NHS Trust for targeting radiotherapy with hopefully more accurate radiotherapy treatment.

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