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Radiation therapy
Source: Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (PDQ®)–Patient Version, National Cancer Institute.
Source updated: April 15, 2025 · Captured 2026-09-09.
Selected source text with whitespace normalised. This Triangle page is not an NCI PDQ summary. Independent clinical review is pending.
Context: Types of treatment for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing. Childhood ALL is treated with external beam radiation therapy. This type of therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the area of the body with cancer. Radiation therapy may be given alone or with other treatments.
External radiation therapy may be used to treat childhood ALL that has spread, or may spread, to the brain, spinal cord, or testicles. It may also be used to prepare the bone marrow for a stem cell transplant.
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Learn more about External Beam Radiation Therapy for Cancer and Radiation Therapy Side Effects.
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Preserved source evidence · Independent clinical review pending · Not medical advice