Some patients with gynaecological cancer may be offered radiotherapy, depending on the type, stage, and location of the tumour. This treatment uses powerful X-rays or radioactive sources to damage cancer cells so they ca not grow. Unlike regular X-rays used for diagnosis, these are much stronger, but they do not make you radioactive or able to pass on radiation.

Healthy cells can usually repair the damage caused by treatment, while cancer cells cannot. The goal is to give a dose strong enough to destroy the cancer while protecting nearby healthy tissue. Thanks to advances in technology, radiation can now be targeted precisely to affected areas, reducing side effects and protecting surrounding tissue.