External beam radiation therapy—also known as teletherapy—is the most common form of radiation for the treatment of many cancers.  The radiation therapy comes from a machine that shoots out external beams and points them to the area of the cancer from the outside of the body.  When a person experiences external beam radiation therapy they are placed in a large machine while lying down.  The machine then rotates around them in circles while the beams of radiation focus on one localized area of the body.  Most people receiving radiation therapy of this nature will receive it daily for however many weeks their oncologist has ordered depending on the type of cancer they have as well as the stage.  Radiation therapy can be administered by itself but is oftentimes combined with chemotherapy or with surgery.