What is Radiation Medicine?

Radiation medicine is commonly used to fight cancer. It involves carefully aimed and timed doses of radiation that destroys the ability of cells to grow and divide. Both diseased and normal cells are affected, but most normal cells are able to recover quickly.

External and Internal Radiation Therapy

In external therapy, a machine directs the high-energy rays to the site and some of the tissue around it. The various machines that direct radiation work in slightly different ways. Some are better for treating near the skin surface; others work best deeper in the body.

Most people having radiation have the external type, given during outpatient visits to the hospital. For patients having internal therapy, usually a small capsule of radioactive material is implanted inside a body cavity or directly into the site.

Your Evaluation

To develop your treatment plan, your doctor will discuss your medical history with you, examine you and review your medical records. Your doctor may order additional blood tests and imaging tests.

The Team Approach

The input from the various medical experts involved in a patient's specific care is one of our great allies in the fight against disease. For those reasons, we’ve created Tumor Board teams that meet regularly to discuss each patient's situation and determine the best course of treatment.

Specialists in all areas of treatment attend, such as a surgeon, a radiologist, oncologists, a pathologist and sometimes the referring physician. This team approach saves valuable time, reduces the cost of individual consultations, and eliminates the need for second and third opinions, since the opinions of several experts are given.

Targeting the Treatment Site

Your doctor and your Radiation Oncology team will identify the exact treatment site. Then the Radiation Oncologist decides the amount of radiation to be given during treatment, the daily dose and the total number of treatments necessary to meet your treatment goal.

The decision whether or not to receive radiotherapy is yours. This decision is made just as any other decision for medical care, such as an operation. It should be made with knowledge of expected benefits and possible side effects. Your Radiation Oncologist will not advise any treatment unless the benefits you expect — such as control of disease and relief from symptoms — exceed the known risks.

Advanced Technology

We offer state-of-the-art medical technology, IGRT, IMRT, brachytherapy, seed implants and access to the Gamma Knife technology. We are proud to be on the leading edge of technology, treatment and innovative research to give the finest possible care to our patients.