Radiation Oncology at Western
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After meeting with your cancer care team during your initial visit to CTCA at Western Regional Medical Center (Western), you may discover that radiation therapy is a viable treatment option. At Western, we offer a variety of radiation therapies designed to shrink tumors while sparing the surrounding healthy tissue.
If radiation therapy is part of your cancer treatment plan, rest assured you are in good hands. Western's expert radiation oncologists acquire the latest radiation technologies with special features such as Varian’s Trilogy™ system. Few hospitals across the country possess such a powerful radiation tool.
What is radiation therapy?
Radiation therapy is a type of conventional cancer treatment that uses X-rays or radioactive substances to shrink or kill cancerous cells. It may be given alone or in combination with other conventional cancer treatments such as surgery or chemotherapy. For example, after having surgery, your care team may recommend radiation therapy treatments to attempt to eliminate cancerous cells.
Individualized Cancer Care Plan
Based on the location and stage of the cancer your radiation oncologist will determine the dose and schedule of radiation treatments. Furthermore, he or she will explain the benefits of using radiation therapy and potential side effects you may experience.
Radiation oncologists at the Western hospital constantly talk to patients to ensure that they are comfortable. Western's complementary medicine departments play a large role in helping to reduce side effects.
Cancer Radiation Therapies Offered at Western
CTCA at Western offers several types of radiation therapy, including the following:
- External Beam Radiation
- Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)
- Large Bore CT/RT With Simulation
- TheraSphere®
- 3D Conformal Radiation
- TomoTherapy® HI-ART
- Trilogy™
Quality of Life
We want your quality of life to be the best it can be while undergoing cancer treatment. We understand that the side effects of radiation therapy can be difficult to deal with. Your care team at Western will work with you to mitigate unpleasant symptoms and side effects during each step of your cancer journey.
Your comprehensive cancer care team includes individuals from complementary medicine departments such as nutritionists, naturopathic physicians, mind-body therapists, pain management doctors, and many others. These experts will listen to your concerns regarding cancer treatment side effects and will bring a host of potential solutions to the table.
Your care team will work with you to combat side effects that may accompany radiation treatments, such as fatigue and skin irritation. For example, your nutritionist will show you how to combat fatigue by eating certain foods and your mind-body therapist will offer relaxation techniques to reduce anxiety. Your radiation oncologist will work alongside oncology rehabilitation specialists to address other potential side effects.
Communication
Your multidisciplinary cancer care team at Western works together to fight cancer and to develop a plan to make sure you have the best possible quality of life. We want you to complete radiation treatment with minimal disruptions so that you can begin your road to recovery.
Staff members from each conventional and complementary medicine department meet three times a week to discuss inpatients. At that time, concerns are brought up and modifications to your treatment plan may be made. Outpatients are also discussed regularly throughout the week.
