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CANCER TYPE > HEAD & NECK > TREATMENT > RADIOTHERAPYRadiotherapy for head and neck cancer
Radiotherapy may be used alone, instead of surgery. It can also be used after an operation, to destroy small areas of cancer that could not be removed by the surgery.
It may also be given in combination with chemotherapy, which is known as chemo-radiotherapy.
Radiotherapy can be given in one of two ways:
- from outside the body as external beam radiotherapy (a beam of x-rays or electrons from a large machine called a linear accelerator)
- by implanting radioactive material into the tumour and leaving it there for a few days. This is known as internal radiotherapy, interstitial radiotherapy or brachytherapy.
Content last reviewed: 01 November 2007
Page last modified: 14 January 2009
Page last modified: 14 January 2009