radiotherapy

[rey-dee-oh-ther-uh-pee]

noun

Medicine/Medical.

1. treatment of disease by means of x-rays or of radioactive substances.

radiotherapy

/ ˌreɪdɪəʊˈθɛrəpɪ, ˌreɪdɪəʊˌθɛrəˈpjuːtɪk /

noun

1. the treatment of disease, esp cancer, by means of alpha or beta particles emitted from an implanted or ingested radioisotope, or by means of a beam of high-energy radiation Compare chemotherapy

Other Word Forms

• radiotherapist noun
• radiotherapeutic adjective
• radiotherapeutically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of radiotherapy¹

First recorded in 1900–05; radio- + therapy

Example Sentences

In hospital it was discovered he had tumours on his brain and spine and he remained there for five months for treatment, including chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

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The BBC has also been told about when things go wrong, including scanning and radiotherapy machines breaking down, GP referral letters being lost and staffing issues mean appointments are cancelled at the last minute.

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For patients whose immunity is weakened by chemotherapy or radiotherapy, such therapies often fail to work effectively.

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McCall said she was going to have five days of radiotherapy in January "as kind of an insurance policy" and then will be on a "journey to try and stop it ever coming back".

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The set designer also underwent radiotherapy, which left her with burns on her body and chemotherapy, which caused severe nausea.

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