Monday, January 19, 2026 – Closed
In observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
As of the afternoon of January 23, 2025, our phones are operational. Thank you for your patience as our phone provider experienced a national outage that impacted our phone services on the afternoon of January 22 and the morning of January 23.
Radiation therapy is the use of high-energy x-rays that target specific cancer sites. Radiation may be used to destroy cancer cells, relieve symptoms associated with cancer and/or prevent the cancer from returning. Your treatment is custom-tailored and unique to your diagnosis, tumor size, location and involvement. Your radiation oncologist (a doctor who specializes in treating cancer with radiation) will review all available treatment options and recommend a personalized plan for you based on national guidelines, which guide all cancer treatments. Radiation therapy is used either alone or in combination with other treatments such as chemotherapy, hyperthermia and surgery.
Different types of radiation – such as 3-Dimensional Conformal Radiation Therapy (3D CRT), Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) and Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) – are used to treat specific types of cancers.
Radiation can be delivered either from outside the body with a machine called a linear accelerator (external beam radiation) or from a radiation source implanted permanently or temporarily in the body (brachytherapy).
You will have a CT scan, PET scan or MRI to create a personalized treatment plan. A specialized team, including your oncologist, will use 3D images and special computer software to establish the precise contours for each tumor and any regions of risk (sensitive organs or structures). Your physician will decide how much radiation the tumor should receive and the appropriate pattern, position and intensity of the radiation beam will be calculated.
Radiation treatments happen Monday through Friday for a number of weeks, usually for 5-8 weeks. Weekend breaks, on Saturday and Sunday, allow your normal cells to recover and assist your healing process.
Ink marks or small tattoo-like dots may be placed on your skin in the area of the tumor to ensure the radiation is precisely delivered to the tumor. The markings are visible on your skin, but only in the area of the tumor and are not permanent. They are designed to fade and will begin to disappear towards the end of your radiation treatments. Occasionally, the markings will have to be reapplied to your skin during treatment. It is very important that you do not scrub the markings, during your bathing/showering. Your radiation therapist will discuss with you how to care for your skin during your treatments, including protecting the markings. You may also need a custom-fitted molded device to help keep you in the same position before and during treatment.
Our radiation therapists will bring you from the waiting room to the treatment room with the linear accelerator (radiation machine). They will ensure you are comfortable and assist you in getting positioned on the treatment table.
Our therapist will align the laser to the target on your skin, indicated by the “tattoo-like” markings. Alignment takes only a couple of minutes. The therapist will leave the room to deliver and monitor your treatment.
During treatment, the machine will move around your body. You won’t feel anything. It’s much like having an x-ray. Sometimes the specific area of skin receiving treatment, can get tender and sunburned, your healthcare team will want to know if you are experiencing any burning or discomfort during your treatment. Your healthcare team will guide you with proper care of your skin.
Typically the treatment takes about 10-15 minutes.
The most common side effect is fatigue – it is very important to get plenty of rest and adequate nutrition. Generally, you will see your doctor weekly. We are always available if you need us.