How Treatment Works Articles
Heart Sparing Radiation Techniques: A Comparison of…
Historically, two primary OARs, or organs at risk, have been identified in the treatment of breast cancer, which are the lung and the heart. Of these two organs, the heart is given higher priority for…
What is ExacTrac and why does it matter for my SRS…
By Vince Ulizio, Medical Physicist at Alliance Cancer Care For high-dose radiation treatments called stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), one extremely important aspect of treatment is positional accuracy. …
What is Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT)?
At Alliance Cancer Care, we use daily image guidance for many of our treatments. If you are receiving treatment with us, you are probably undergoing some type of imaging regularly. Image-guided radiation…
How We Hit a Moving Target in Radiation Therapy
By Mike Taylor Radiation is a treatment that we can focus precisely to kill tumors. We extensively evaluate a tumor’s location and surrounding tissues to ensure that we target tumors accurately and minimize…
Top Three Radiation Side Effects
Radiation sounds scary even before the doctor begins to talk about side effects. Will I glow in the dark? NO, but that would be cool! Radiation is an x-ray treatment, designed to target a particular area…
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
A new cancer diagnosis is frightening and most patients do not know what to expect. Hearing the word “cancer” will likely start your thoughts racing with questions like, “Will I die? What will my family…
Behind the Scenes of Radiation Treatment Planning
By the Alliance Cancer Care Physics Team Our team at Alliance Cancer Care (ACC) helps guide you through your cancer treatment journey every step of the way. We use innovative technology to make your…
How Does Radiation Therapy Work to Treat Cancer?
Whether you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer, radiation is likely to play some role in treatment. You are probably wondering what radiation is and how it can be used to treat and cure cancer.…
The Identify System
By Andrew Minetree, physicist at Alliance Cancer Care At Alliance Cancer Care, we take multiple steps to assure that your treatment is delivered to the highest standard in the industry. Our focus includes…
Types of Scans for Cancer Patients
If you or a loved one are diagnosed with cancer, you start to learn a new language. It can be very confusing and overwhelming. One of the most commonly asked questions involves scans, or imaging studies. …
What is SBRT for Lung Cancer?
What is SBRT? Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) is a technique that precisely targets lung tumors, while at the same time uses very conformal radiation beams to avoid normal tissues. The precision…
Simulation for Radiation Therapy
What is a “simulation” or “treatment planning session” for radiation treatment? If your doctor has recommended radiation therapy, they will likely schedule an appointment for a simulation, or a treatment…