Radiation therapy or radiotherapy is the use of high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation for lymphoma usually comes from a machine outside the body (external-beam radiation therapy). Radiation therapy given to the neck, chest, and/or lymph nodes under the arms is called radiation therapy to a mantle field. Radiation therapy given to the mantle field and to the lymph nodes in the upper abdomen, the spleen, and the lymph nodes in the pelvis is called total nodal irradiation. Radiation therapy may be used alone or in addition to chemotherapy. Radiation is most often used in early stage, localized disease.

Radiation may significantly impair growth of bones and soft tissue so it's use in lymphoma treatment should be thought out accordingly. Unfortunately female patients who received radiation therapy between the ages of 10 and 16 mighty have an increased risk of breast cancer later in life.

To determine when radiation therapy may be used (dependent on factors such as lymphoma stage and bulkiness) see the NCI data sheets listed under the Childhood Lymphoma Resources Page.

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Detailed information on Radiotherapy / Radiation Therapy

Childhood Radiation Resources

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For more information on Childhood Hodgkin's Disease, please see the following pages:

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