Symptoms and Treatments of Esophageal Cancer

10. Radiation Therapy

Sometimes chemo alone is not enough to kill cancer cells. Therefore, doctors choose to prescribe both chemo and radiation therapy. Radiation therapy utilizes strong X-ray beams that are able to kill the cancer cells. It is typically used before surgery is attempted or in specific cases, after surgery, if all of the cancer cannot be removed. Radiation therapy can have major side effects such as sunburn skin reactions, accidental damage to other organs, and painful swallowing, so it is usually reserved for more serious cancers.