The Cyclotron Particle Accelerator

The cyclotron and the fight against cancer

Insert Your Name

Course Instructor

Course Name

22 July 2010

The cyclotron and the fight against cancer

Introduction

One of the benefits of technological advancements is improved quality of life . Medical breakthroughs through which many illnesses have been demystified and their effects mitigated can mostly be attributed to improvements in technology . It is now possible to operate on a patient 's inner body without having to cut the body open . Similarly , many other diseases now have cures , while others , even though

they cannot be cured have had their effects greatly reduced . An example of such an ailment is cancer . Cancer has been present in all of man 's recorded history , only that the terminology used and mode of treatment has evolved over time

A major shift in the disease 's treatment approach occurred in the late 19th century with the discovery of X-rays . Before the discovery of X-rays , cancer treatment was mainly through medication , with some even describing the ailment as being without treatment . With the introduction of X rays however , more options for treatment have become available , and this is made better by the fact that both approaches compete at the advantage of the disease sufferers . Currently , there are three recognized treatment methods , namely surgery , chemotherapy and radiotherapy . Surgery involves physical removal of the tumor while chemotherapy uses a combination of drugs to cure the disease

Radiotherapy is the use of energy generated from radiation to kill the cancer cells responsible for...