1. Home
  2. Health
  3. Prostate Cancer

Radiation Therapy

By Matthew Schmitz, M.D., About.com

Updated: August 07, 2008

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

Definition: The use of radiation to treat prostate cancer in the prostate or in areas where it has spread. Radiation is typically either given outside the body (external beam radiation) or from inside the body (brachytherapy). It disrupts the DNA of cancer cells, thus causing them to stop growing or die.
Also Known As: radiotherapy, radiation oncology, radiation treatment
Explore Prostate Cancer
About.com Special Features

Learn how you can reduce your your numbers with these nutrition and exercise tips. More >

Keep yourself, and your family, happy and healthy this fall with these tips. More >

We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.
  1. Home
  2. Health
  3. Prostate Cancer
  4. Glossary
  5. Radiation Therapy - Definition of Radiation Therapy

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.