If radiation causes cancer then why is it used to treat cancer?
Answers
Radiation Therapy to Treat Cancer. Radiation therapy (also called radiotherapy) is a cancer treatment that uses high doses of radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. At low doses, radiation is used in x-rays to see inside your body, as with x-rays of your teeth or broken bones.
Radiation may disassemble atoms and cause DNA damage in cells, leading topotentially serious side effects, including cancer. Ultraviolet light from the sun may damage skin cells andincrease the risk of melanoma or other types of skin cancer.
At high doses, radiationtherapy kills cancer cells or slows their growth by damaging their DNA. Cancercells whose DNA is damaged beyond repair stop dividing or die.
Some cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy may increase a person's risk of developing a different type of cancer later in life. Here we discuss the risk of second cancers that may be linked to past cancer treatment.
hope this helps! ❤