Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy is a common and effective treatment for cancer that uses high-energy radiation, such as X-rays or other types of energy waves, to target and destroy cancer cells. By damaging the DNA within the cells, radiation therapy can prevent cancer cells from growing and dividing, leading to tumor shrinkage. This reduction in tumor size can help alleviate symptoms caused by the tumor, such as pain or pressure on surrounding organs, and in some cases, may even lead to a complete remission of the cancer.

What to Expect?

After all potential short-term and long-term side effects are thoroughly reviewed with you, you will be asked to sign a consent form to move forward with radiation therapy. The next step is a CT Simulation, the team will work with you to position your body correctly for treatment, ensuring that the positioning can be consistently replicated. The images captured during the CT Simulation are used to develop a personalized radiation therapy plan tailored specifically to your needs.

The planning timeline may differ based on your specific diagnosis, but we can assure you that our team will keep you updated and informed throughout every step of the process. Once you begin your radiation therapy treatments, you will meet with your nurse and doctor at least once a week to address any questions or concerns and to monitor for any potential radiation side effects.

Radiation therapy may be used in various ways depending on your specific diagnosis. Your doctor will discuss the most suitable treatment plan with you, including the benefits and risks involved.

At St. Elizabeth, our team follows the latest practices to ensure your care is both safe and effective. Radiation therapy may be recommended as your sole treatment or in combination with surgery, either before or after, or alongside chemotherapy.

Radiation therapy can also be used to treat certain non-cancerous conditions.

• External Beam Radiation

  External beam radiation delivers precise beams of energy at the cancer from outside your body. It uses a large machine called a linear accelerator.

  This therapy involves coming to the treatment center up to five times a week for several weeks in a row. The radiation passes through your body during treatment sessions. Your body is not radioactive at any time.

  St. Elizabeth offers state-of-the-art linear accelerators to deliver precise treatment for your cancer type. Our clinical team will personalize the right treatment for you. The advanced technologies and techniques allow us to deliver high-energy radiation to cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue.

• Stereotactic Radiosurgery/Radiotherapy

  Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) and Stereotactic Radiation Therapy (SRT) are advanced forms of radiation therapy that enable us to deliver high-dose radiation to a small, precisely targeted area. Both SRS and SRT focus the radiation solely on the tumor, either killing the cancer cells directly or disrupting their ability to grow.

  SRS delivers a large dose of radiation in a single session, while SRT involves a series of treatments spread over multiple days. Although the total dose in SRT may be higher than in SRS, each individual treatment day in SRT delivers a smaller dose. Both methods are primarily used to treat localized tumors in the brain.

• Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy

  Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) is a technique that delivers high doses of radiation to a tumor in just a few treatments, with each session using a large dose. The typical treatment schedule consists of two to five sessions spread over one to two weeks.

• Internal Radiation (Brachytherapy)

  Internal radiation, also known as brachytherapy, involves placing applicators or radioactive seeds inside the body for a brief period. This method delivers targeted radiation directly to or near the tumor. Brachytherapy can also be applied to the surface of the skin to treat skin cancers.

  Your radiation oncologist will determine the best approach to access the treatment area. The goal is to maximize the dose of radiation to the tumor and spare healthy tissue. Brachytherapy can happen alone or alongside other forms of treatment.

  With internal radiation therapy, your care team can use higher doses of radiation than would be possible with external radiation. An advantage of brachytherapy is that less radiation goes to the healthy cells and a higher dose goes to the cancer cells. Another advantage is a shorter recovery time.

Common Side Effects of Radiation Therapy

Side effects of radiation therapy vary depending on the area being treated and the organs within the treatment field that may be affected. Common side effects include fatigue and skin changes in the treated area, such as redness, itching, and peeling. The severity of these side effects depends on several factors. Your care team will discuss both short-term and long-term side effects with you and provide guidance on how to minimize them during treatment.

Radiopharmaceutical Therapy

Radiopharmaceutical therapy involves delivering radioactive drugs via an IV (intravenously). The drugs travel through the bloodstream to target specific cancerous tissues and leave healthy tissue relatively unharmed.