Radiation Therapy

Individualized Treatment to Destroy Cancer

Radiation therapy at highlands oncology

Radiation therapy is used to destroy cancer cells in the body. This type of therapy is individualized to each patient because every patient has a unique history. No two patients are the same and neither is their experience with radiation therapy.

Radiation is a more precise type of cancer treatment. Unlike chemotherapy, where your whole body is exposed to a drug that is meant to destroy cancer cells, radiation is a more targeted type of treatment. This treatment aims at treating only the affected area(s). 

How Radiation Therapy Works

Cancer treatment may vary depending upon the type of cancer, the stage of cancer, and the goal of treatment. Often, one or more treatment modalities may be used to provide the most complete treatment for the patient.

Increasingly, it is common to use several treatment modalities concurrently (together) or in sequence and is referred to as multi-modality treatment. The modalities may include surgery, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and/or radiation therapy. For most newly diagnosed cancer patients, the optimal treatment will be a multi-modality approach composed of standard therapies that have been established through extensive medical research.

The objective of radiation therapy is to kill enough cancer cells to maximize the probability of cure and minimize the side effects. Under some circumstances, radiation therapy may also be used as palliation, or palliative care, which is aimed at reducing symptoms, but not curing the disease.

Radiation is usually administered in the form of high-energy beams that deposit the radiation dose in the body where cancer cells are located. Radiation therapy, unlike chemotherapy, is considered a localized treatment.

This means that cancer cells are only killed at the location in the body where the radiation is delivered, called the radiation field. If cancer exists outside the radiation field, those cancer cells are not affected by the radiation.

Treatment Team

Your treatment team at Highlands Radiation Oncology consists of a group of highly skilled individuals who are specialists in the field of radiation therapy. These professionals work closely together to develop an individualized treatment plan to make sure you receive the best care possible.

The core of our treatment team includes board-certified radiation oncologists (physicians), board-certified medical physicists, board-certified medical dosimetrists, oncology care nurses, and registered and licensed radiation therapists. Everyone at Highlands Oncology is dedicated to staying abreast of the most up-to-date information, technology, and treatment techniques available within the specialty of radiation therapy.

Radiation Oncologist

Our physicians, known as radiation oncologists, will oversee your radiation therapy treatment and will meet with you on a daily or weekly basis. They work closely with other physicians in the management of each patient and lead the treatment team in the development and delivery of a treatment plan that is unique to each patient. A radiation oncologist’s training includes four years of medical school, one year of specialized medical training, and then four years of residency training in the field of radiation oncology. Each is board-certified in radiation oncology by the American Board of Radiology.

What to Expect During Your Radiation Clinic Visit

Radiation treatment is individualized for each patient depending on many factors including overall health, the size and location of the cancer, staging, and any prior treatment. To devise a radiation treatment plan to meet the specific needs of each patient, the preparation process involves several components. This radiation therapy section will attempt to answer many of your questions, but you are encouraged to visit www.rtanswers.org or the American Cancer Society at www.americancancersociety.org.

Your First Visit with Highlands Radiation Oncology

You will first meet with a receptionist who will obtain information that will assist us in processing your Medicare or insurance claims. One of our radiation oncology nurses will then discuss your medical history with you and obtain all medical information that might be helpful to your doctor when they discuss your treatment options. Please bring a current list of medications with you. You will view a detailed video outlining what to expect during your course of radiation therapy treatment at Highlands Oncology.

Visit with Physician

Your physician will discuss your cancer diagnosis, treatment options, and answer any questions you have. During the consultation, the radiation oncologist will communicate a large amount of information in a short period of time. Consider bringing another person to the consultation to help understand the information from the physician. Take notes to refer to later, if needed. Part of the consultation visit includes an examination of areas relevant to your diagnosis. At this point, the radiation oncologist will discuss his recommended treatment plan and any alternatives with you.

After the consultation appointment, the radiation oncologist will complete your cancer treatment planning. This may include asking for additional tests to be performed, awaiting results of other pending tests or consultations, or obtaining additional records and reports. When indicated, the radiation oncologist will communicate with other treating physicians, such as your surgeon or medical oncologist to coordinate the appropriate course of treatment.

Frequently ASKED QUESTIONS

What is radiation therapy?

Radiation therapy, sometimes called “radiotherapy” or “irradiation”, is a medical procedure by which your doctor directs high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells so that they are unable to grow, multiply or spread. With careful planning by your team of physicians, dosimetrists, and physicists, radiation is directed to the tumor or tumor bed and the normal tissues are maximally spared. Radiation therapy may be used alone or in combination with other treatments, such as surgery, hormonal therapy, and/or chemotherapy.

Will I feel the radiation, or will it hurt?

No, external beam radiation treatments are painless, like having an x-ray taken. You will only hear the noises of the machine (high-pitched humming).

Will I become radioactive?

External beam radiation does not cause you to become radioactive, and you pose no risk of radiation exposure to people near you. If you are receiving a prostate seed implant, please read further regarding the radiation properties of that modality.

Are there risks involved with radiation therapy?

The radiation used to damage or destroy cancer cells can also damage normal cells within the treated area. When this happens, you may experience side effects. Any side effects will be carefully monitored by the radiation oncologist as well as the radiation therapists and nurses.

Most of these side effects will go away on their own within four to six weeks after treatment is completed. Some long-term effects may include changes in the color and elasticity of the skin in the treatment area. Discuss any concerns you may have about side effects and ask about medications to counteract them with the radiation oncologist before the start of your treatment.

Will the radiation therapy make me sick?

Most patients do not experience any nausea with radiation therapy. Some patients that are being treated with radiation around the stomach may have symptoms of nausea. If you experience nausea, report this to your doctor, nurse, or radiation therapist. Effective medications exist to reduce and/or prevent your symptoms. 

Will I lose my hair?

No, you will not lose the hair on your head unless that is the area being treated. Hair loss only occurs in the area that is being treated with radiation therapy.

How long will my radiation treatment take?

Most of the time, external beam radiation is delivered in daily treatments, or fractions, over a period from one treatment to a course of six to eight weeks. The patient will generally receive these treatments Monday through Friday, and then have the weekend off. A daily fraction will take about ten to thirty minutes in the treatment room; however, the actual treatment generally only lasts a few minutes.

Who will administer my radiation treatments?

A doctor who specializes in radiation therapy is called a radiation oncologist. He will coordinate your cancer care to best treat your cancer. The radiation oncologist will prescribe the type and amount of radiation treatment and work closely with a team of healthcare professionals in determining the best way to deliver that treatment. Those healthcare professionals may include the following:

  • Radiation physicists are experts who perform continuing quality assurance on the linear accelerator and other equipment needed in your treatment regimen. The physicist works closely with the doctor and the dosimetrists in planning your treatment. 
  • Dosimetrists are specialists who work with the doctor and physicist to create the treatment plan and calculate the radiation dose delivered to the tumor and the surrounding normal tissues. They help sculpt the radiation fields to best target your tumor. 
  • Radiation therapists are professionals who position you and operate the linear accelerator, the machine that delivers the radiation treatment. They will work with you to help find an optimal schedule and to ensure you receive quality care. 
  • Radiation oncology nurses are caregivers who will help coordinate your care, manage side effects, and help you and your family learn about your treatment.
Can someone come to my treatments with me?

Highlands Oncology welcomes all persons to come to our facilities. However, Federal regulations prohibit anyone who is not a patient or a person wearing a film badge monitor to be in the radiation-controlled area during the time radiation equipment is being operated. Those who accompany you will be asked to wait in the reception area during your treatment. This serves additionally to protect the privacy of all patients. Only patients and staff are allowed in the treatment area during treatment hours.

Will I be alone during my treatments?

Because radiation effects are accumulated and radiation therapists treat many patients each day, they are not in the room during the radiation treatments. To ensure that you are doing well, and your treatment delivery is going as indicated, you will be constantly monitored by a video camera and in voice contact with your radiation therapists. If you should need assistance, simply tell the therapists and they will immediately tend to your needs.

How long do the treatments take, and how many will I receive?

The first day of your actual treatment will take longer because the therapists must verify your set-up and the treatment plan, and double-check all parameters. This first treatment is generally about thirty to forty-five minutes. For the following treatments, you will come at the same time every day and be in the treatment room for ten to thirty minutes. This may vary depending on the complexity of your treatment. Most patients come for treatment Monday through Friday only for a period of one day to eight weeks.

Can I continue my regular routine/activities while undergoing radiation therapy treatments?

You should continue with your normal routines. Most patients continue full-time occupations or leisure activities through the course of treatments. When you feel tired, do not over-exert yourself; take time to rest when needed. Try to get plenty of sleep and maintain a healthy diet.

What cancers are treated with brachytherapy?

Brachytherapy is used to treat prostate cancer, uterine cancer, and cervical cancer. It may also be used in the breast, head and neck, and other cancer sites.

For any other questions, please call 479-695-4234 (Fayetteville) or 479-878-7051 (Rogers) to get in touch with your physician team or treatment team. We will provide you answers as quickly as possible. Radiation 

Technology

  • TrueBeam (3)

  • Halcyon (1)

  • Trilogy (2)

  • Large Bore CT Simulator (2)

  • Brachytherapy – GYN (1)

  • SGRT / DIBH

    • BrainLAB – ExacTrac

    • VisionRT

Statistics

  • 2500 plus consults annually

  • 2024 – over 2200 new patients started

    • 400 SBRT

    • 80 SRS

    • 61 SRT