Abstract According to Thun, DeLancey, Centre, Jemal, and Ward (2009), cancer ranks as the third most significant contributor to both morbidity and mortality on a global scale. Despite the absence of dedicated pharmaceutical interventions, radiotherapy (RT) serves as the primary therapeutic modality for cancer, with more than 60% of cancer instances necessitating radiation therapy. Radiation therapy, often known as irradiation or X-ray therapy, is a commonly used term to describe a medical treatment technique. The process of radiation induces damage to the DNA of cancer cells, leading to the disruption of their growth and division, ultimately resulting in their demise. Radiation can also impact adjacent normal cells in close proximity to cancerous cells. Despite the widespread global usage of RT, it is associated with numerous adverse effects. The relationship between radiation exposure and the incidence of cancer has been investigated through epidemiological studies conducted on survivors of atomic bomb explosions. Radiation treatment is employed as a therapeutic modality for the management of malignancies in their first stages. One significant constraint associated with radiotherapy is the adverse impact it has on the healthy cells in the vicinity of the cancerous tumour. Approximately 5% of cancer patients who are sensitive to radiation are subjected to restricted doses of radiation in order to mitigate the occurrence of severe side effects associated with radiotherapy. In the field of radiation biology, it is necessary to first identify predictors that are associated with an elevated level of radiosensitivity prior to initiating any form of treatment. This procedure facilitates the identification of patient-specific radiotherapy. The administration of radiation doses to patients varies depending on the specific types of cancers being treated. The dosage of radiation administered to the patient may vary based on factors such as the size of the tumour, the type of surgery performed, the involvement of lymph nodes, and the characteristics of the malignancy. This article provides an overview of current advancements in radiation therapy treatments for different types of malignancies and the corresponding adverse effects. Investigating the physiological and genetic concerns linked with radiation therapy is currently a pressing requirement. Therefore, the purpose of this brief review was to gather data regarding the potential hazards associated with radiotherapy and to determine whether ayurvedic medicines can mitigate their detrimental effects.
Keywords Radiotherapy, Advancements in Radiotherapy, Side-Effects of Radiotherapy.