Radiation therapy is an effective method of cancer treatment. Nearly 50 per cent of all cancer patients receive it during their treatment. The main aim of this therapy is to destroy cancer cells through high-beam radiation. As cancer cells are not strong like healthy cells, they die due to the damage caused by the radiation.
Process of Radiation Therapy
Every radiation therapy plan is customised according to the patient’s needs. So, its cost also varies, to know more details about, you can visit website and book an appointment with a radio oncologist.
Consultation with Radio Oncologist
This is the first step of your treatment plan, where your radiation oncologist will review your medical reports, pathology report, and radiology images. They will examine you and ask for some more tests if needed.
After a thorough examination and analysis of reports, they will be able to tell if you can go for radiation therapy or not. At this point, they will also tell you about the process in detail and what you can expect from the treatment.
Radiation Simulation
Once your doctor has recommended radiation therapy, you will have to undergo a simulation process. This process is imperative to determine the extent of your tumour or cancer and where should the radiation be focused. So, you’ll have to undergo some more X-rays and CT scans. The radiologist will ask you to lie still on a table, which might later be used in your treatment.
You must stay still during the therapy, so try to stay in a comfortable position. To keep you still, immobilisation devices like mesh masks, headrests, etc., can also be used. Once the exact location is determined, the staff will mark that area with a small tattoo or dot to ensure the radiation is directed at the right spot.
Treatment Planning
In this step, the radiation oncologist, physicist and dosimetrist work together to plan a radiation therapy based on the size, type, location and proximity of the tumour/cancer to the normal tissues. High doses of radiation can affect your normal tissues if they are near the radiation location. So, they will focus on a plan where your normal tissues are least affected.
Devising the treatment plan can take several days as it requires recreating your virtual anatomy and tumour or cancer location. The team also has to go through your previous and current medical history to ensure no complication arises due to your existing medical condition.
Performing the Therapy
The treatment duration can vary from 1 to 10 weeks, with five sessions each week. It is based on the treatment plan prescribed by the radio oncologist. Each session takes up to 30 minutes.
You will be told to lie on a treatment table, where the radiation therapists will position you and apply the same restraints used during the initial simulation. If necessary, images might be taken to ensure the position of the tumour/cancer is not changed.
During the therapy, a linear accelerator machine will direct radiation at the identified spot. To direct the radiation at a proper angle, it may also move around the table. Usually, it’s a painless process, and you will be able to talk to the team via an intercom if you want.
Post Therapy Follow Up
After the completion of treatment, follow-up appointments will be scheduled to monitor your recovery and overall health. You will have to undergo tests and scans to ensure that you’re responding well to the treatment and there is no major side-effect of the treatment on your body.
During the follow-ups, you can tell your doctor about any side-effects that you are experiencing. They might suggest some solution to it, at least a way to ease out your discomfort. Visit the website for more details about this treatment.