What are the types of radiation therapy?

According to the National Cancer Institute, there are two main types of radiation therapy: external beam and internal. External beam radiation comes from a machine that aims radiation at your cancer. The machine is large and may be noisy. It does not touch you. It can move around you and send radiation from many directions. It is a local treatment, which means it treats one specific part of your body.

Internal radiation therapy puts a source of radiation inside your body. The source can be solid or liquid. A solid source is called brachytherapy. Seeds, ribbons, or capsules are placed in or near the tumor. Like external beam radiation, this is a local treatment. A liquid source is a form of systemic therapy. That means it travels in the blood to tissues all through your body.

Which type you have depends on many things. These include the type, size, and location of the tumor. Your healthcare team can explain the best option for your cancer.