Consultation

Once you and your medical oncologist have decided that beginning radiation therapy seems like an appropriate addition to your course of cancer treatments, your medical oncologist will recommend that you come in for a consultation with one of our radiation oncologists.  This consultation is an opportunity for one of our doctors to meet with you and answer any questions you may have, learn about your condition, give you a physical examination, explain what to expect from your treatments, and, finally, determine if radiation therapy is right for you.  It is also an opportunity for you to meet our staff and tour our facility. 

We provide as much time as is necessary to answer your questions in detail and help you make the right choice about radiation therapy.  If we agree that beginning a course of radiation therapy treatments is right for you, then we will schedule you for your next appointment: the "Treatment Planning Session," or "Simulation."

Simulation

Simulation is a procedure required to accurately deliver radiation to the requisite tissue. It is a time used to customize the radiation fields to ensure conformal coverage of the requisite tumor. This is typically performed under the guidance of a CT scanner which allows a direct visualization of the tumor or tumor resection cavity. A therapist will position you in a comfortable position and may also make immobilization devices to minimize movement. This session will typically last for 1 hour. After the mapping if completed, a few small permanent tattoo marks may be placed on skin. The entire procedure is painless.

After your simulation, our therapist will design your treatment schedule, with the specific dates of all your daily treatments.

Daily Treatments

Depending upon which treatment your radiation oncologist has prescribed, your time spent in the treatment room could be as short as 20 minutes. Before treatments, verification films may be taken to confirm your positioning and our treatment beam configuration. You may hear and see the radiation machine move around you during your treatment. This is completely normal.

At least once a week, you will meet with your radiation oncologist so that he can address any side effects or questions that you may have and make any necessary adjustments to your treatments.  Our oncology nurses, dieticians, and social workers are all available to you on a regular basis.  We will see you often during your course of treatments, and we will likely get to know one another quite well!

Follow-Up

Congratulations! You have finished your radiation treatments. But just because you have finished your treatments, doesn't mean that we say goodbye forever!  Your radiation oncologist will continue to see you on a regular basis to monitor your condition and address any issues should they arrise.  We'll always be here for you!