Hodgkin's disease is a rare type of lymphoma or cancer that affects the lymphatic system, the part of the body that plays a large part in immune system functioning. Approximately 11.4 percent of all lymphomas are Hodgkin's disease, according to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Significance
Radiation is usually not the only treatment used for Hodgkin's disease, according to the University of Florida Shands Cancer Center. More often, radiation is used in conjunction with chemotherapy, especially when Hodgkin's disease is diagnosed in an early stage.
Function
Radiation uses beams of high-powered energy to target and destroy the cancerous cells and tumors found in Hodgkin's disease patients.
Time Frame
Radiation treatment for Hodgkin's disease typically takes place five days per week for three to five weeks, reports the University of Florida Shands Cancer Center.
Side Effects and Risks
The most common side effects of radiation for Hodgkin's disease include diarrhea, abdominal cramping, nausea, increased defecation or urination, fatigue, decreases in red or white blood cells and hypothyroidism. Additionally, a National Cancer Institute study published in the "Journal of the American Medical Association" in 2003 showed a link between radiation for Hodgkin's disease and the development of breast cancer in female patients later in life.
Considerations
Although radiation therapy may be an effective treatment for Hodgkin's disease, a study conducted at the Netherlands Cancer Institute and published in the "New England Journal of Medicine" in 2003 showed that there were no benefits to radiation used to prevent recurrences of Hodgkin's disease in patients already in remission after chemotherapy.
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