Radiation can be combined with other forms of treatment to produce cure rates which are greater than when any one treatment is used on its own. The radiation may be to the primary site or to likely or definite secondary sites. Ependymoma, and low grade astrocytoma are examples of  cancers which are more likely to be cured by a combination of surgery and radiation, both to the primary site, than by either [ surgery or radiation alone. These two examples are both brain  cancers which, because of their location, are difficult to remove completely. Radiation given after surgery increases the cure rate by killing any cells which have not been removed. As we will see in the next section, pre- or post-operative radiation to the primary site usually makes a difference only to the chance of local recurrence and not to the chance of complete cure. These cancers are I exceptions to this rule because they rarely spread outside of the central nervous system. Effective local treatment therefore has a good chance of curing them completely.  Some cancers which have spread can be cured by removing the primary cancer surgically and irradiating the secondary deposits. The main examples are seminoma (a type of testicular cancer) and dysgerminoma (a rare type of ovarian cancer). The primary cancer is removed mainly in order to make a definite and exact diagnosis. These types of cancer are so sensitive to radiation that even quite large secondary deposits can be destroyed completely К using safe doses of radiation. These cancers are also very sensitive to chemotherapy treatment. The chance of cure is greater with chemotherapy than with radiation if the disease is very extensive. However, chemotherapy has more side effects. If you have one of these types of cancer you will have to find out what figures apply in your particular case and exactly what each treatment would involve in order to make the best decision for you.

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Cancer