How long does radiotherapy usually take?

Each treatment session typically lasts approximately 5–10 minutes. The total duration of the entire radiotherapy course depends on the specific radiotherapy technique employed and the clinical indication. Radiotherapy is primarily categorized into definitive (curative-intent) radiotherapy, preoperative radiotherapy, and postoperative radiotherapy—each requiring a different overall treatment duration. For example, definitive radiotherapy generally spans 6–7 weeks.

In contrast, preoperative or postoperative radiotherapy usually lasts about five weeks. Thus, treatment duration varies depending on the radiotherapy strategy. The most common regimen involves daily treatments Monday through Friday (five days per week), with weekends (Saturday and Sunday) designated as rest days without treatment. During the course of therapy, some patients may require temporary interruption of radiotherapy due to treatment-related side effects. Brief interruptions—up to approximately one week—are generally acceptable and do not significantly compromise treatment efficacy. However, interruptions exceeding one week may adversely affect the overall therapeutic outcome.