The advantages of radiation therapy include:

• Death of a significant proportion of cancer cells within the entire tumor
• Death of cancer at the edge of the tumor that will not be apparent to the naked eye (e.g., at the time of surgery)
• Ability to compress tumors (which may serve to alleviate mass effect; or it may be performed before treatment, to move those patients from unresectable to resect able status)
• Relative protection for the patient (radiation can be administered from outside of the body and concentrated on the tumor, is painless, and usually does not require an aesthesia)
• Synergy with systemic i.e., the potential to kill more cells together than any therapy could do alone)
• Organ protection (e.g., not removing a breast, larynx, or part of the gastrointestinal tract, which would have substantial negative effects on a patient's quality of life
• Possible activation of an immune response against the tumor

The disadvantages of radiation therapy include:

• Damage to underlying tissues (e.g., lung, heart), depending on how close the region of interest is situated to the tumor.
• Inability to kill tumor cells that cannot be seen on imaging scans and are therefore not always included on the 3D models (e.g., in nearby lymph nodes; metastatic disease) of radiation planning.
• Inability to destroy all cancer cells in tumors (this is true in especially large tumors)
• Inability to alleviate mass effect (i.e., the pressing of the tumor on underlying normal structures) in some areas of the body (e.g., brain), thus requiring surgery.
• Poor killing of cancer cells in areas that do not have a sufficient supply of oxygen (e.g., in an area following surgery, in a limb with low blood supply)
• Increased occurrence of wound infection and poor healing (e.g., if Surgery is used after radiation, or in sections without sufficient circulation)
• The inconvenience of radiation therapy (e.g., in some cases it must be delivered daily, 5 days per week, for 1-2 months)
• Contraindications of Radiation therapy (e.g., prior exposure; other medical disorders)

Advantages of Radiation Therapy:

  Disadvantages of Radiation Therapy:

  It's important to note that the advantages and disadvantages can vary depending on the individual case, type of cancer, and treatment plan. Patients should discuss their specific situation with their healthcare providers to get a comprehensive understanding of the potential benefits and risks of radiation therapy.