A board-certified physician who specializes in using radiation to treat
cancer. People are referred to as a radiation oncologist after a diagnosis
of cancer is made, and when treated with radiation is considered.
What Is Radiation Therapy?
Radiation Therapy is the use of high-energy penetrating rays or subatomic
particles to destroy cells. There are several types of radiation including
x-ray, electron beam, alpha and beta particles, and gamma rays. Today,
more than 99% of patients worldwide requiring radiation interventions
are treated with photons or x-rays generated by means of linear accelerators.
How Does Radiation Work?
Both cancer cells and healthy cells are affected by radiation. Because
radiation has its greatest effects on tissue that divides rapidly such
as cancer; cancer cells are more susceptible to injury than normal cells.
This cell injury stops the cancer cells from reproducing or it can actually
destroy the cancer cell outright. Either way, the tumor mass will begin
to shrink as the viable cancer cells are reduced in number. With each
treatment, more of the cells die and the tumor shrinks. The dead cells
are broken down, carried away by the blood and excreted by the body. Most
of the healthy cells are able to recover. However, the damage to the healthy
cells may cause long and short-term side effects related to the body area
irradiated.
The dose of radiation is determined by the size, extent, type, and grade
of tumor and its known response to radiation. Complex calculations and
computer-generated planning are performed to determine the dose distribution
and timing of radiation. Often, the treatment is delivered from many different
angles or a rotating beam in order to deliver the maximum amount of radiation
to the tumor and the minimum amount to normal surrounding tissues. Treatments
are generally given daily over a period of days or weeks to adequately
destroy the cancer cells.
Questions?
Click Here to get your questions answered from the American Society for Radiation
Oncology new patient website!
Some things to remember about external beam radiation therapy:
External beam radiation passes through your body and does not remain in
you. You are not radioactive.
Only the body area in the field of radiation is affected.
Normal cells exposed to radiation have the ability to repair themselves.
The side effects that occur during radiation therapy are manageable.
Our board-certified physicians provide consultation; treatment and follow-up
care for those who need radiation treatment for the management of their
cancer. Once a patient consents to a treatment course, we begin the planning
process. This can take up from a few days to a couple of weeks depending
on the complexity of the case but is usually completed within 4 days.
Treatment planning is accomplished by employing highly sophisticated computer
systems using cross-sectional body images, which we acquire on our dedicated
CT scanner. These CT images are fussed with other imaging studies the
patient may have had done such as MRI, PET and diagnostic CT studies.
This allows for the most accurate, focused radiation treatment to the
tumor or tumor bed without damaging the surrounding normal tissue.
The Center’s technically advanced linear accelerators, Varian Trilogy
with RapidArc and TomoTherapy HD are not only the best radiation technology
available but both are capable of IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiation
Therapy). Additionally, they are both equipped with various IGRT (Image
Guided Radiation Therapy) technologies, CT, KV-KV matching and infraction
external contour tracking. These imaging technologies support the delivery
of precise customized and reproducible radiation treatments day after day.
Some patients may require a radiation treatment using radioactive materials
injected or inserted temporarily or permanently into the body, which is
known as brachytherapy. Brachytherapy is used alone or in conjunction
with external beam radiation treatments to offer patients the best achievable
outcomes such as HDR (High Dose Rate) gynecological insertions, HDR APBI
(accelerated partial breast irradiation) via a balloon catheter and prostate
cancer to list a few.
For more information on Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center's Cancer
Care Center, please call
909.865.9555.
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