Download Radiation therapy. Purpose and process.

Radiation therapy.
Purpose and process.
Cancer
Radiation
Purpose
Radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays that specifically damage rapidly dividing cells,
preventing them from proliferating. It may be used alone or in conjunction with other cancer
treatments such as surgery or chemotherapy.
Several factors, such as your type of tumor or lesion, site of origin, and the degree to which
your cancer has spread, determine whether you are a candidate for radiation therapy, .
Process
Our physicians will examine you, study your medical records and learn the facts about your
case prior to prescribing your individualized treatment plan.
Typically, radiation therapy is administered on a daily basis for six to eight weeks. The
type and strength of the radiation beam and the equipment from which it is delivered will
depend greatly on your individual case. After your initial evaluation, the radiation therapy
team at Huntington Hospital will devise your personal treatment plan. This requires
complex collaboration between your attending physician and physics staff to design optical
treatment fields. You will be scheduled for a one-hour simulated treatment planning
session before you begin active treatment, ensuring the delivery of radiation to each field is
precise. This allows for the tumor to be treated at a higher dose and for the area surrounding
your treatment field to be protected from unnecessary radiation, reasons why precision is
paramount in radiation therapy.
It takes approximately one week for your treatment plan to be completed. At this time you
are ready to begin your course of radiation therapy.
(626) 397-2524 • www.HuntingtonHospital.com/lung