FAQ: How is radiotherapy given?

At Sheba Medical Center, radiation therapy is performed in the Radiation Oncology Department. It can be administered in one of two ways: outside the body or inside the body. Some patients require both types, depending on the cancer and other factors.

With external beam radiation (EBRT), a linear accelerator is used to direct radiation beams towards the exact area of the body where the cancer is located. The process doesn’t cause any pain and resembles having an X-ray. If you receive internal radiation therapy, a source of radiation is placed inside your body. Brachytherapy is the most common method of internal beam radiation, in which the radioactive source is implanted within the body – inside or adjacent to the cancer.