Radiation therapy

Radiotherapy uses X-rays or particles to destroy cancer cells. This approach might be used individually to remove the cancer or in combination with the surgical approach to shrink the cancer beforehand or after surgery to kill any cancer cells that may have been left behind.
Healthcare providers treat anal cancer with external beam radiation therapy (EBRT).

• Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), which sends multiple energy beams of different strengths to a tumour.
• Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), which targets small tumours without damaging nearby healthy tissue.
• Three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) that creates a three-dimensional picture of tumours.
• Brachytherapy, which is internal radiation therapy.