Soft Tissue Sarcoma External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT)

External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT) for Soft Tissue Sarcoma

External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) is one of the most common forms of soft tissue sarcoma radiation therapy used at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA).. Using a high-energy X-ray machine, called a linear accelerator, EBRT delivers radiation to where the tumor is located on your body.

Depending on the type, location, grade and stage of the disease; personal preferences; and other factors, your CTCA care team may recommend external beam radiation therapy for soft tissue sarcoma. This form of treatment may be used prior to surgery (neoadjuvant therapy) to shrink the tumor or sterilize the area where surgery will be taking place. It can also be used after surgery (adjuvant therapy) to kill any additional sarcoma cells that were not able to be removed during surgery. In rare cases when surgery is not possible, EBRT may sometimes be used in place of surgery.

For EBRT, your radiation oncologist will pinpoint the area(s) of treatment using a variety of diagnostic and imaging tools to locate cancerous tumor(s) within your body. The linear accelerator delivers radiation from any angle, and shapes the beams to conform to the contour of the tumor. As a result, our oncologists are able to more accurately target sarcoma tumors with higher doses of radiation, while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissues.

External beam radiation therapy can also be combined with chemotherapy during your soft tissue sarcoma treatment.

EBRT Outpatient Treatment for Soft Tissue Sarcoma Patients

One of the advantages of external beam radiation therapy for soft tissue sarcoma is that you can usually remain an outpatient throughout your treatment. Each treatment takes just a few minutes to be delivered, and is usually given five days a week, over the course of five to eight weeks.

We offer several innovative types of soft tissue sarcoma radiation therapy:

• Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)
• TomoTherapy® HI-ART
• Image-guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT)
• Trilogy®

Managing Radiation Therapy Side Effects

We understand the potential side effects of radiation therapy for soft tissue sarcoma are unpleasant and may include fatigue, swelling, radiation dermatitis (skin irritation), nausea and vomiting. Your CTCA care team will work together to use multiple measures to help reduce or moderate radiation-related symptoms, so you enjoy a better quality of life.

While receiving EBRT, your care team will also provide supportive therapies to ease side effects before, during and after radiation treatment. For example, your naturopathic clinician can recommend supplements to help with potential radiation dermatitis, while your nutritionist can recommend foods to ease nausea and boost your energy.

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