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What is Radiation Therapy?
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Treatment Process We understand that being a candidate for radiation therapy has its logistical concerns. Unlike other cancer treatments, radiation therapy involves daily treatments that can last for up to ten weeks. The Cancer Center at Fairfax and the Cancer Center at Gaithersburg are committed to making the process of receiving care as easy as possible – from the first appointment to follow up after receiving treatment.Both centers are optimized for patient comfort starting with ease of parking to timely treatment delivery. Through personalized plans our process includes the following steps: Consultation: The first appointment will involve a consultation with the physician. This is usually made within 24 to 48 hours of calling. The consultation involves taking a patient history, reviewing reports and x-rays, as well as a thorough explanation of the treatment that is best suited for the patient as well as side effects of the treatment. Simulation: If the decision is made to proceed with treatments, the patient will be scheduled for a simulation. This is done with our state of the art computuerized tomography (CT) simulators. The images are used to define the patient's anatomy and identify the tumor or area to be treated and then to create a 3D reconstruction of the body. Treatment Planning: Once the patient has undergone simulation, the physician and the members of the treatment team review the images along with the patient's medical tests to develop a treatment plan. Treatment planning is done with highly sophisticated software. A treatment plan is generated to allow for complex planning that maximizes the patient's opportunity to receive the best radiation treatment. Which treatment plan is best for you is determined by the highly trained staff at the Cancer Center at Gaithersburg and the Cancer Center at Fairfax. Radiation Treatments: When the patient begins treatments with us, each session is painless and usually takes less than 20 minutes. The treatments are much like an x-ray. The radiation is directed to the area of concern from the linear accelerator, which never touches the patient. The treatments are scheduled five days a week, and may continue for up to ten weeks. Once the patient is positioned correctly, the therapist will leave the room and go into an adjoining control room to closely monitor the patient on a television screen while administering the radiation. |
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