Receiving Radiation Therapy
Your treatment will be performed by a registered radiation therapist using a linear accelerator and take place in a special treatment room.
A radiation therapist will position you on the treatment table and then leave the room during the actual treatment. You will be monitored via an audiovisual system for your safety and have voice contact with the therapist throughout the entire treatment. It will be important for you to lie very still during the treatment.
At DRCC, most treatments are given once daily, Monday through Friday.
The number of treatments prescribed by your radiation oncologist will depend on the size, location, type and radiosensitivity of the disease or tumor, as well as your general health. Treatment courses can be as short as one day or up to eight weeks, with the average treatment course lasting 2-6 weeks.
The length of time for the treatment varies with each individual and depends on the type of treatment planned by your physician. Generally, the actual treatments take about 10-15 minutes and are painless. However, your first treatment usually takes about 30-45 minutes due to additional accuracy and safety protocol.
Ongoing Treatment Clinic Visits
Once every week the radiation oncologist and/or nurse will see you.
- You are welcome to ask questions about treatment, side effects and medications.
- Medications will be prescribed and renewed during this time if needed.
- Your weight will be checked.
- A clinical examination will be done either before or after your treatment and usually lasts a few minutes.