Eli5 How does radiation therapy actually work? Like how doesnt it break down more of the body and make the cancer worse or something like that? And does it target only cancer area or everything?

Question

Eli5 How does radiation therapy actually work? Like how doesnt it break down more of the body and make the cancer worse or something like that? And does it target only cancer area or everything?

In: 630

Answer 1

An ELI5 answer:

Radiation and chemo damage cells, particularly as the split and multiply. Cancer cells multiply more frequently than most other cell types in your body, so they get hit the most, but there is still some collateral damage. This is also why nausea/vomiting and hair loss are common side effects – your stomach lining and hair follicles replicate faster than most of the rest of your body, so they take increased damage.