What does radiotherapy for lung cancer involve?
What does radiotherapy for lung cancer involve?
Radiation therapy involves the use of radiation beams to damage and destroy cancerous tissue in the body.
Before treatment, you will be invited to attend a “simulation,” or planning session, which usually lasts one hour to generate a radiation plan. During the appointment, you will be asked to report to the radiation oncology center and lie down on the table. A mold is made around the region being treated and images are taken. You may given liquid to take or an injection into a vein to help identify the areas in your body that needs the radiation. Small tattoos may be placed to make alignment easier for the radiation beams.
Once the simulation session is completed, you are invited back (usually after 1-10 days) for radiation treatment and everything is lined up the same way as it was during the simulation. Virtually all cases in the setting of lung cancer are treated with “external beam” radiation, which is a high energy x-ray that damages the tumor. In general, you do not feel the radiation beam and is it painless. Each radiation session lasts approximately 30-60 minutes, after which you may return home and return the next day to continue treatment.
Side effects of radiation depends on the area of the body that is being treated, the dose delivered, and the size of the radiation field. You will be given an opportunity to have a detailed discussion with your radiation oncologist about the treatment, the benefits, and potential side effects prior to radiation therapy.
The author Dr Daniel Gomez has been supported by Varian (company that manufacturers radiotherapy equipment), AstraZeneca, Olympus, GRAIL, AstraZeneca and MedLearning Group.