Radiation Oncology

is a medical speciality that involves the controlled use of radiation to treat cancer either for cure, or to reduce pain and other symptoms caused by cancer. 

Radiation therapy

 (also called

radiotherapy

) is the term used to describe the actual treatment delivered by the radiation oncology team. It may also be used as 

palliative treatment

 (where cure is not possible and the aim is for local disease control or symptom relief). It is also common to combine radiation therapy with surgery, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, immunotherapy or some mixture of the four. Most common cancer types can be treated with radiation therapy in some way.