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The Wonderful World of
Radiation Therapy!
Presented by:
Lindsey Martin & Shannon Carmody
What is Radiation Therapy?
• It is a treatment modality used to treat different types
of cancer.
• Radiation therapy is the medical use of ionizing
radiation (high intensity x-rays) as part of cancer
treatment to control malignant aka “cancer” cells.
• Not to be confused with radiology, which is the use of
radiation in medical imaging and diagnosis (people who
take x-rays).
• Radiation therapy works by damaging the DNA of
cells.
Did you know that there are different
types of tumors?
• Malignant tumors
-Have the ability to spread somewhere else in the
body besides the original site
-Often invade and destroy normal surrounding tissue
• Benign Tumors
- Do not spread or invade surrounding tissue
- Often encapsulated and slow growing
- Noted by the suffix – oma which is connected to
the cell of origin
Examples of Tumors
• Sarcomas- tumors arising from mesenchymal cells which include
connective tissue such as cartilage and bone
- ex: Chondrosarcoma is sarcoma of the cartilage.
• Carcinomas are tumor that originate from the epithelium. This
includes all the tissues that cover a surface or line a cavity.
-Since the lung is made of squamous cell epithelium then a
tumor in the lung would be called squamous cell carcinoma of
the lung.
• Epithelial cells that are glandular are called adenocarcinoma.
-A tumor originating in the lining of the stomach would be
called adenocarcinoma of the stomach.
What do you think causes cancer?
• Although the cause of
cancer is unknown, many
carcinogenic agents have
been identified such as
smoking cigarettes and
drinking alcohol so
DON’T DRINK OR
SMOKE.
How do we detect cancer?
• Screening tests are
helpful in detecting
cancer early. Some
examples are Pap smears
for cervical cancer,
digital exam for prostate
cancer, fecal occult blood
testing for colorectal
cancer and
mammograms for breast
cancer.
More Information about
Radiation Therapy
• Radiation therapy is a local treatment that can be used
alone or with other treatment modalities such as
surgery or chemotherapy.
• Benefits of radiation therapy include preservation of
function and better cosmetic results.
- An example would be an early stage laryngeal
tumor that can be taken off by surgery but would
require the vocal cords to be taken out too. Radiation
therapy treats the tumor while preserving the patient’s
voice.
Pictures of larynx cancer
Radiation also plays a role in
palliation (relieves symptoms).
• For example bone metastasis. If this condition is left
untreated, the patient could experience a great deal of
pain and is at risk for bone fractures.
-With radiation therapy, it would relieve the pain and
prevent bone fractures.
• Lastly if a tumor is pressing on a nerve or blocking an
air way, radiation therapy can shrink the tumor to
relieve the patient of any discomfort or problems they
may have had from the tumor.
How do we deliver the “cancer”
treatments?
• Radiation therapist’s use a linear accelerator, which is a complex
machine that uses high-frequency electromagnetic waves to
accelerate charged particles such as electrons to high energies via
a linear tube.
• It is capable of generating x-ray beams of at least 1 mega-volt
(1,000,000 volts) and even up to 20 mega-volts!
• The linear accelerator is unique because it has a gantry head that
can rotate around the patient at 360 degrees, making treatments
easier and less time consuming.
• It also has a treatment couch that can rotate 270 degrees and
move up/down, left/right, and even in/out in order to position
the patient where the doctor wants.
There are several different ways in order
to administer Radiation Therapy.
• External beam which is the most used for
majority of treatments. The machine used to
produce the external beam radiation is called a
linear accelerator.
• Brachytherapy uses radioactive materials such as
Cesium(Cs 137), Iridium (Ir-192) or gold (Au198). The use of brachytherapy allows for the
radioactive material to be placed next to or
directly into the tumor.
Different types of brachytherapy
techniques
• Interstitial: radioactive sources are place directly
into the tumor (ex-prostate seed implants)
• Intracavitary: placing the source in a body cavity
such as cases for treatment of cervical or
endometrial cancers
• Interluminal: radioactive material is placed
within a body tube such as the esophagus or
bronchial tree.
Chemotherapy
• Chemotherapy agents can be used in helping
control tumors that have spread throughout the
body. Radiation therapists will need to know if a
patient getting chemotherapy and if they are
suppose to get chemotherapy before or after
their radiation therapy treatment.
So, how does one get into the
Radiation Therapy program?
• First you need to apply to Armstrong by going to their
website @ www.aasu.edu
• Once you have taken the required core courses needed,
you must submit a formal application to the radiologic
sciences department by November 1st (deadline).
• Word of advice- start taking the related core classes
needed for radiation therapy, so you don’t waste time
taking classes you don’t need. Example of classes
needed will be handed out.
Radiation Therapy Requirements
• Applications will be accepted on a “competitive” basis and
written notification of acceptance will begin March 1st.
• GPA, number of science courses completed, overall completed
course work, and an interview (if needed) .
-A GPA of 2.5 or higher is required for all college work.
(Applicants with less than 2.5 are encouraged to apply and may
be considered under special circumstances.)
- Only 15 students get accepted each year so keep those
grades up while you are in college, and it will pay off in the long
run.
• More information about requirements needed can be found at
www.radsci.armstrong.edu.
Once you get into the program you will start on-thejob training to become a radiation therapist
• On the job training will include:
-Going to different clinical sites where you will learn how to become a
radiation therapist.
- This internship will help you learn all the skills required to:
- deliver radiation therapy to patients
- perform CT scans to localize the treatment area of concern
- take and develop x-rays for treatment verification
- “set-up” patients for their treatments by using lasers
- develop critical thinking skills by multi-tasking
- learn how to interact with patients by seeing them frequently
and by helping them get rid of their disease
• By becoming a Radiation Therapist, you will always learn something new and
interesting!
-Clinical sites for the Radiation
Therapy program include:
• Anderson Cancer Institute Radiation Oncology Center,
Savannah, GA
• Savannah Radiation Oncology Center, Savannah, GA
• Southeast Georgia Health System Oncology Center,
Brunswick, GA
• Roper Radiation Oncology Center, Charleston, SC
• Medical University of South Carolina Oncology
Center, Charleston, SC
Important information on why you should
choose radiation therapy as a profession
• The salary range is from around $65,000$85,000 per year (varies depending on location,
education, and skills).
• Almost all working schedules are from around
8am-5pm, with the exception of coming in to
work when on call (usually for emergences).
• You will get to have a rewarding and challenging
career that helps people when they are in a time
of need.
Future Career Opportunities
• Dosimetrist- performs calculations to come up with
treatment parameters such as field size, tumor volume,
and critical structures.
• Physicist- deals with “regulating” the treatment
machine and any problems that may occur.
-For more information visit www.aapm.org.
• Physicians assistant (PA)- diagnose and treat illnesses,
perform physical exams in order to interpret tests,
counsel on preventive health care, assist in surgery, and
can write prescriptions under the doctors license.
-For more information go to www.aapa.org.
So come and join us in the wonderful
world of Radiation Therapy!!!!
References
• http://www.indeed.com
/salary?q1=Radiation+T
herapist&l1
• http://www.healthcaresal
aryonline.com/radiationtherapist-jobdescription.html
• Washington & Leaver
(2004) Principles and
Practice of Radiation
Therapy