Radiation therapy is used to treat colon cancer before surgery for which of the following reasons?
A. Reducing the size of the tumor.
B. Eliminating the malignant cells.
C. Curing cancer.
D. Helping the bowel heal after surgery.
Correct Answer: A. Reducing the size of the tumor
Radiation therapy is used to treat colon cancer before surgery to reduce the size of the tumor, making it easier to be resected. Radiation therapy is a treatment using high-energy rays (such as x-rays) or particles to destroy cancer cells. For some colon and rectal cancers, treating with chemotherapy at the same time can make radiation therapy work better. Using these 2 treatments together is called chemoradiation.
Option B: Radiation therapy can’t eliminate the malignant cells (though it helps define tumor margins). Radiation therapy, often with chemotherapy, is frequently used in the adjuvant or neoadjuvant setting for the treatment of rectal cancers, whereas chemotherapy alone is more common for the adjuvant and neoadjuvant treatment of colon cancers.
Option C: Radiation therapy isn’t curative. The progress that has been made in the treatment of colon cancer has resulted from improved development of radiation treatments and surgical techniques and participation in clinical trials.
Option D: Radiation therapy could slow postoperative healing. It’s not common to use radiation therapy to treat colon cancer, but it may be used after surgery if cancer has attached to an internal organ or the lining of the belly (abdomen). If this happens, the surgeon can’t be sure that all of cancer has been removed. Radiation therapy may be used to try to kill any cancer cells that may have been left behind.
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