After meeting with the members of your care team, a plan for treatment will be in place. Most patients who undergo radiation therapy receive external beam radiation therapy. These treatments are usually scheduled five days a week, Monday through Friday, and continue for one to 10 weeks. The number of radiation treatments you will need depends on the size, location and type of cancer you have; and the intent of the treatment; your general health and other medical treatments you may be receiving.

External beam radiation therapy is one of the radiation therapy treatment options. Depending on the type and location of the cancer, there are a variety of other treatment options. For more information click on the information listed to the left.

Our patients are important to us. Please ask your care provider if you have any questions about your treatment.

Weekly Status Checks

During radiation therapy, your radiation oncologist and nurse will see you regularly to follow your progress, evaluate whether you are having any side effects, recommend treatment options for those side effects (such as medication) and address any concerns you may be having. As treatment progresses, your doctor may make changes in the schedule or treatment plan, depending on your response or reaction to the therapy.

Your radiation therapy team may gather on a regular basis with other healthcare professionals to review your case to ensure your treatment is proceeding as planned. During these sessions, all the members of the team discuss your progress, as well as any concerns.

Weekly Beam Films

During your course of treatment, correct positions of the treatment beams will be regularly verified with images made using the treatment beam itself. These images (called port films, beam films or portal verification) represent an important quality assurance check but do not evaluate the tumor itself.