Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy pursues the same objective as surgery but it attempts to burn out the cancerous growth as opposed to surgical removal. Unfortunately, radiation destroys healthly cells as well as damaged ones, depletes the bodies own natural resistence (the very system upon which the body depends in its fight against cancer) and is itself capable of rendering cells malignant rather than destroying them. Furthermore, the side effects of radiotherapy including chronic fatigue, exhaustion, nausea, weakness, loss of appetite and general sickness can be intolerable and sickening.

There is a widespread body of opinion which maintains that radiotherapy does little to improve the patients chances of survival. The Swiss institute for experimental cancer research had this to say about the use of irradiation in breast cancer patients: "In six controlled studies, survival rates were significantly lower amongst women who were irradiated than amongst those who were treated with surgery alone. Stopping the use of prophylactic local radiotherapy could increase survival rates." What is certain is that like surgery, radiation treatment does not respect the cause nor the circumstances of the individuals cancer.