A course of radiotherapy will be recommended if your treatment team thinks there's a significant risk that the cancer could return in the pelvis. Radiotherapy may also be used to slow the spread of cancer when a surgical cure is not possible.
There are two types of radiotherapy that are used to treat endometrial cancer:
- Internal radiotherapy (also known as brachytherapy), where a plastic tube is inserted inside the uterus and radiation treatment is passed down the tube into the uterus.
- External radiotherapy, where a machine is used to deliver pulses of radiation to your pelvis.
A course of external radiotherapy is usually given to you as an outpatient, for five days a week with a break at the weekend. The treatment takes a few minutes, and the whole course of radiotherapy may last approximately four weeks, depending on the stage and position of the endometrial cancer.
Some women have internal radiotherapy (brachytherapy) as well as external radiotherapy. During brachytherapy, the device that delivers radiation is placed in your vagina and stays there until the correct dose of radiation is delivered.
There are different types of brachytherapy, involving either low, medium or high dose rates. With low dose rate methods the radiation is delivered more slowly, so the device has to stay inside you for longer. You'll have to stay in hospital while you have the treatment. Your doctor will discuss this with you.
Radiotherapy has some side effects. Skin in the treated area can become red and sore, and hair loss may occur. Radiotherapy to the pelvic area can affect the bowel, and cause sickness and diarrhoea. As your course of treatment progresses, you're likely to get very tired. Most of these side effects will go away when your treatment finishes, although around 5% of women continue with long-term treatment effects, such as diarrhoea and rectal bleeding.
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