Preparing For Your Visit

This is your first meeting with your radiation oncologist. It is helpful to prepare for the consultation by bringing medical records, a list of medications, your insurance information and a list of questions you have about treatment.

There will be important information communicated during the consultation, so you may want to bring a family member or support person with you to be a second set of ears to help listen and ask questions about the therapy.

Once it has been determined that you radiation treatment is right for you, a simulation (SIM) appointment will be scheduled. The purpose of this appointment is to map the exact area to be treated. A CT scan will be taken to verify the anatomy and assure accuracy. If needed, immobilization devices such as a face mask or body mold will be made at this time. A CT scan will be taken to define your anatomy and to ensure accuracy. Your skin will be marked with skin markers to ensure that you are aligned correctly for each treatment.

After simulation, you will have some time to relax while your radiation oncologist creates a unique plan of treatment taking into account your diagnosis, the type of radiation machine that will be used, the amount of radiation needed, and the number of treatments you will receive.

The number of treatment sessions you will have will vary depending on your specific cancer type and its location. Your experience may be completely different than other patients and may differ from previous radiation treatment you may have had. During treatment, you will lie still while the radiation beam is targeted to the exact area of the tumor. You will not feel the radiation as it is being delivered. A full course of radiation therapy may take several weeks, while other treatments may be one day or just a few days.

When your course of treatment is completed, your radiation oncologist will need to see you for follow-up visits. You will be given instructions about the intervals at which you will need to be seen.