Radiation Oncology
Radiation therapy uses high-energy beams to destroy cancer cells, and many patients with breast cancer will require radiation as part of their treatment. UI Health provides advanced radiation technologies, including stereotactic radiosurgery, stereotactic body radiotherapy, brachytherapy, and image guided radiotherapy.
We know the prospect of receiving radiation therapy can be intimidating, but our physicians, nurses, and therapists work hard to deliver up-to-the-minute care, while making the experience as simple and straightforward as possible for patients.
The radiation oncologists at the UI Health are breast cancer specialists, who work closely with their colleagues across various hospital departments to ensure patients get the most individualized treatment possible.
Radiation therapy usually involves the following steps:
- Consultation: You'll meet with a radiation oncologist for a discussion about your specific cancer, and whether radiation would be an appropriate treatment option. If you decide to proceed with treatment, we'll describe everything it will involve.
- Simulation: This is a mapping procedure that will allow your physicians and the physicists they work with to plan out how exactly your radiation treatment will be delivered. The simulation often consists of a special type of CT scan (CAT scan). Sometimes, intravenous contrast is used. Special positioning devices are often used to help you lie in a particular way. Our goal is to make this procedure as comfortable for you as possible.
- Planning: After the simulation, your physicians and physicists will work together to devise the most effective radiation plan for you. Their goal is to deliver the radiation exactly where you need it, while avoiding any areas where it could cause the most side effects.
- Delivery: Radiation treatments are often given daily, Monday through Friday, for several weeks. The treatments are painless, with most patients remarking that they don't feel a thing. During the course of your treatment, you’ll meet regularly with your physicians to address any side effects and to answer any questions you might have.
