FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: How
will I know if radiation therapy is right for me?  ow
will I know if radiation therapy is right for me?
The first step is generally a consultation. The patient visits the center and is examined by a Board Certified physician specializing in radiation therapy. Additional tests may be ordered. The physician will assess the feasibility and potential effectiveness of radiation therapy. Medical records will be reviewed and treatment options will be discussed with the patient and other physicians involved in their care. Based on this consultation, the patient will receive a recommendation as to whether radiation therapy should be used, and whether it should be done in conjunction with other treatments such as surgery or chemotherapy. In some cases radiation therapy will not be a viable alternative.
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is radiation therapy delivered?
External beam radiation therapy and brachytherapy are the two principal methods used to deliver radiation and focus it on the specific portion of the body where treatment is desired. A custom treatment plan is developed that is designed to deliver the proper dose of radiation to the area of interest, while minimizing exposure to surrounding tissue. External beam radiation therapy is typically delivered using a machine called a linear accelerator. Patients lie still on a couch, and the machine moves around the body delivering x-ray beams from various angles. Devices called blocks may be used in some cases to shield certain parts of the body from unwanted exposure to radiation. Patients are usually treated 5 days per week over a period of up to eight weeks. Most treatments take just a few minutes. Patients don't feel anything during the treatment, and most are able to continue with their normal daily activities during treatment. Brachytherapy involves insertion of radioactive sources into the affected region of the body. Depending upon the nature of the disease and the treatment plan, these sources may be removed shortly after insertion or remain in place permanently. A short hospital stay may be necessary with some brachytherapy treatments. In some cases the two delivery methods may be used together.
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types of cancer can be treated with radiation therapy?
About 60% of all people with cancer in the United States are treated with radiation therapy at some point during the course of their disease. Radiation therapy is often the primary treatment for: · skin
cancers Radiation therapy is often used in conjunction with chemotherapy. In some cases, radiation therapy is used to alleviate symptoms such as pain, bleeding, skin ulcers and bone problems in cancer patients. Radiation therapy
may also be used to reduce the risk of recurrence after surgery
for cancers involving the brain, head, neck, breast, lung, and rectum. ow
is radiation therapy used to treat coronary artery disease?
In many cases, patients with blockages of a coronary artery are treated by a cardiologist with a procedure called angioplasty to clear the blockage, followed by insertion of a device called a stent to help keep the artery open. In some patients, the artery will become blocked again by scar tissue. This is called restenosis. A new treatment called coronary brachytherapy has been introduced to help patients who have had restenosis of a coronary artery. A cardiologist and a radiation oncologist will work together to clear the artery and attempt to prevent recurrence of the blockage. The cardiologist will use angioplasty to clear the artery. The radiation oncologist will then insert radioactive seeds into the artery for a few minutes to kill the cells that are causing the recurring blockage. Read
the recent Topeka Capital-Journal article on coronary brachytherapy
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safe is radiation therapy?
Each patient's course of treatment is individually designed, taking into account the location of the treatment area, the size and shape of the body and the nature of the disease. Extensive precautions are taken to ensure that treatment is delivered exactly as planned. Patients may experience side effects during or after radiation therapy. These vary with the type of disease and treatment used, and most are relatively minor. Your doctor will discuss potential side effects with you before treatment, and you should immediately report any that you experience. Radiation therapy
will not make your body radioactive. However, brachytherapy patients
do have radioactive sources within their bodies during treatment.
In those cases special precautions are taken to ensure the safety
of others with whom the brachytherapy patient may come into contact.  dditional
sources of information about radiation therapy and related topics:
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adiation
therapy is the use of high energy radiation to destroy, or prevent
growth of undesirable cells in the body. The primary use of radiation
therapy has historically been in treatment of cancer. However, a
new treatment has been developed for people who have experienced
recurring coronary artery blockages (restenosis) after treatment
with a stent.
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