External Radiation Therapy

What you should know

• External radiation therapy is a treatment which uses radiation to treat cancer. Radiation is a strong beam of x-ray energy which passes through normal organs and tissues to reach tumors. Cancer is a condition where abnormal cells increase in number and form tumors. Tumors can grow anywhere in your body, such as in your head, chest, and abdomen (stomach). They can grow big and damage tissues, blood vessels, and nerves around them. In your brain, tumors cause headaches, seizures (convulsions), problems with how you think, and trouble remembering things. A prostate tumor can give men problems when passing urine, getting an erection, or getting a female partner pregnant. Cancer cells can also spread to other parts of your body and grow into new tumors.
  
  
• Radiation may be used with other treatments such as medicines, chemotherapy and surgery. Radiation therapy may kill cancer cells, and decrease cancer pain that does not go away, even after your use medicine. It may also keep you cancer-free, and increase the years of your life.

Care Agreement

You have the right to help plan your care. Learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. Discuss treatment options with your caregivers to decide what care you want to receive. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

Risks

• Radiation kills tumor cells but can also damage other normal cells in your body. When there is too much damage from radiation, normal cells can die, or grow into a tumor. When normal cells in your tissues or body organs die, that organ may stop working. You can lose your appetite, feel very weak, and have problems thinking. You can have red, dry, and rotting skin on the area getting radiation. You can have an upset stomach, pain in your bowels, loose watery stools, and blood in your stools. Your blood cells can decrease, and you may get tired easily, look pale, and be at risk for infections.
  
  
• Without external radiation therapy, tumors can grow bigger and damage tissues around them. You can get very weak, lose weight, and have pain in areas with tumors. Cancer cells may spread and grow into new tumors in other parts of your body. These tumors can damage more organs and make it hard for you to heal. You may not be able to do things that you enjoy doing. Talk to your caregiver if you are worried or have questions about your treatment, medicine, or care.

Getting Ready

The week before your treatment:

• Ask a family member or friend to drive you home after your treatment. Do not drive yourself home.
  
  
• Bring your medicine bottles or a list of your medicines when you see your caregiver. Tell your caregiver if you are allergic to any medicine. Tell your caregiver if you use any herbs, food supplements, or over-the-counter medicine.
  
  
• Tests: You may need x-rays, a CT scan, MRI, or ultrasound to check the location, shape, and size of your tumor. Ask your caregiver for more information about these and other tests that you may need. Write down the date, time, and location of each test.

The night before your treatment:

• Ask caregivers about directions for eating and drinking.
  
  

The day of your treatment:

• Write down the correct date, time, and location of your surgery.
  
  
• Ask your caregiver before taking any medicine on the day of your treatment. These medicines include insulin, diabetic pills, high blood pressure pills, or heart pills. Bring all the medicines you are taking, including the pill bottles, with you to the hospital.
  
  
• You or a close family member will be asked to sign a legal piece of paper (consent form). It gives your caregiver permission to do the treatment. It also explains the problems that may happen, and your choices. Be sure all your questions have been answered before you sign this form.

Treatment

What will happen:

• You will be taken to the room where your treatment will be done. Your treatment will happen on a special table that can be moved to different positions. Pillows or supports can be used to hold you in the right position. Shields to block radiation from other parts of your body may be put over you.
  
  
• A MRI or CT scan is used to help point the radiation beam at your tumor. The scan will also show the exact shape, size, and location of your tumor. Your caregiver will set the beam's shape and how much radiation your tumor will get. The beam is pointed so that it passes through the least amount of healthy tissue. This will help prevent normal tissue from getting radiation. The size and shape of the beam may be the same as your tumor, or it may be larger. During your treatment you will need to lie still and relax. You should not feel any pain, heat, tingling, or anything else during treatment. When your treatment is done, your bed will be moved out of the treatment area.

After your treatment:

You may be taken to a room where caregivers will watch you closely for problems. Do not try to get out of bed until your caregiver says it is OK. Later, you may be able to go home, or you will be taken to your hospital room.

Waiting area:

This is an area where your family and friends can wait until you are able to have visitors. Ask your visitors to provide a way to reach them if they leave the waiting area.

Contact a caregiver if

• You have a fever.
  
  
• You cannot make it to your treatment on time.

Seek Care Immediately if

• You have a seizure.
  
  
• You suddenly have problems remembering things.
  
  
• You suddenly have trouble breathing or chest pain.

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The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

Learn more about External Radiation Therapy (Precare)