The latest technique is called Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy or IRMT, which has only recently been used to pinpoint tumors, so it is still very expensive. IRMT uses a computer to drive an x-ray gun that will focus the radiation on the tumor, going around veins and normal tissue.

The special computer has an image of the precise location and size of the tumor so it can plot out a “plan of attack”. The pinpoint beam hits the tumor from different angles, lessening the damage to surrounding cells. The shape of the beam may even be conformed to the shape of the tumor and radiation intensity may be lowered and raised instead of just having a basic on/off switch. New radioactive guns have a shutter that can be opened and closed extremely rapidly, thereby controlling the intensity of radiation that a specific area of the body receives.

Many benefits have been seen from this treatment. Typically, patients experience fewer side effects since normal cells are not harmed. Physicians can more accurately “hit” the tumor with radiation. This will lower the chance that some of the cancer cells were missed (if any are missed, it will just grow back). Also, there should be less chance of the formation of secondary tumors later in the patients life since there will be less damage to normal cells in the surrounding area.