All questions · What each treatment is doing

If the tumor was removed, what is the radiation treating?

Even when a surgeon takes out everything visible, single cells can be left behind that no scan and no eye could pick up.

Radiation treats the area the cancer came from, because that is where it is most likely to come back.

Written by two physicians. Checked against patient information from the US National Cancer Institute and Cancer Research UK.

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Content last updated 25 September 2026 · How we write these cards · Report a problem with this card

These cards are for learning. They are not medical advice and do not replace talking with your own doctor.