Treatment Process

On the day of your initial visit, you will check in at our front desk, a process designed to take only a few moments. Please be sure to provide our staff with any medical records you have brought with you. If possible, you may expedite your registration by completing the downloadable forms in advance and bringing them with you to your appointment.

A member of our nursing team will then escort you to an exam room and gather preliminary information prior to your consultation. This includes reviewing your medication list, recording vital signs, and identifying any concerns you would like to address during your visit.

In some cases, a physician assistant may meet with you first to collect additional details before you see the physician for a comprehensive discussion of your treatment goals and care plan.

We are committed to making your visit as efficient and seamless as possible. At times, your physician may need to step away briefly during your appointment to attend to urgent patient care matters elsewhere in the clinic. Please be assured that this is a normal part of clinic operations, as we care for patients receiving treatment throughout the day who may require immediate attention.

Our physicians also make it a priority to take direct calls from other healthcare providers, ensuring close collaboration and the highest level of coordinated cancer care for our community.

The process of measuring your body and marking your skin to help guide radiation beams safely and precisely to their intended targets is called simulation. This step is sometimes referred to as a “marking session” or “measurement visit.” The simulation appointment may take up to an hour and plays a critical role in creating the most accurate and effective treatment plan for you.

Prior to your simulation, you may receive specific instructions, such as drinking contrast, maintaining a comfortably full bladder, or using a laxative or enema to empty your rectum. In some cases, intravenous contrast may also be administered. These steps help your care team design the best possible treatment plan while minimizing potential side effects. We sincerely appreciate your cooperation, as these preparations are an important part of your care.

During simulation, your radiation oncologist and radiation therapist will position you on the simulation table exactly as you will be positioned for your actual treatments. To ensure consistency and accuracy, immobilization devices—such as molds, casts, headrests, or custom supports—may be used to help you remain in the same position throughout therapy.

Once you are properly positioned, your radiation therapist, under the supervision of your physician, will mark the treatment area either on your skin or on the immobilization devices. You will then undergo a specialized CT scan in this position, known as a CT simulation, which is used to precisely map your anatomy and guide your personalized treatment plan.

After your simulation is complete, your radiation oncologist and the rest of your care team carefully review the information obtained during your visit, along with your prior medical tests and imaging, to develop a personalized treatment plan. In many cases, an additional imaging study—such as an MRI or PET/CT scan—may be performed so these images can be digitally “fused” with your simulation scan for even greater precision.

Using sophisticated treatment-planning software, your team designs the most effective and safest radiation approach for your specific condition. After thoroughly evaluating all of this data, your physician creates a tailored course of radiation therapy that precisely targets the area of concern while minimizing exposure to surrounding healthy tissues.

Following your simulation, there is one additional appointment before your treatment begins.

On either the day of—or more commonly, the day before—your first radiation session, you will return for a “dry run,” during which your treatment setup is carefully verified. During this approximately 30-minute visit, our radiation therapists may place small reference markings on your skin. These serve as precise guides for positioning the treatment equipment consistently each day.

Please be sure to follow the therapists’ instructions for caring for these markings, as preserving them is essential to maintaining the accuracy and consistency of your treatment.

Radiation Therapy Treatments

Receiving external beam radiation therapy is very similar to having diagnostic X-rays or CT scans. Treatments are painless and typically last between 10 and 20 minutes—often even less. Most patients receive their treatments on an outpatient basis, though inpatient treatment is also available when needed. Many individuals are able to continue working during part, or even all, of their treatment course.

Radiation therapy is usually delivered five days a week, Monday through Friday, and may continue for several weeks—sometimes up to eight—depending on your specific diagnosis and treatment plan. The exact number of sessions you will receive is determined by your radiation oncologist in coordination with your broader care team.

Each treatment is administered by a skilled team of radiation therapists working under the direct supervision of your radiation oncologist. Positioning takes just a few minutes. If a custom mold or other immobilization device was created during simulation, it will be used at every visit to ensure you are placed in precisely the same position each time.

Once you are properly positioned, the therapist will step into the control area, where you will remain in constant contact through a closed-circuit television and microphone system. You can communicate with your care team at any time, and the treatment can be paused immediately if you feel uncomfortable or unwell.

During your session, the treatment machine may move and produce mechanical sounds. Please be assured that this is normal and that your radiation therapist maintains full control of the equipment at all times.

Occasionally, a treatment course may be interrupted due to factors such as equipment maintenance or patient illness. If this occurs, missed sessions are typically made up by extending the treatment schedule to ensure you receive the full prescribed dose.

Weekly Status Checks

During your course of radiation therapy, you will meet with your radiation oncologist at least once a week to review your progress, document your treatment, and address any side effects or concerns you may have. These regular check-ins allow your care team to closely monitor your response to therapy and ensure you are as comfortable as possible throughout the process.

Please keep in mind that your physician may adjust your treatment plan or schedule as needed based on how your body responds to therapy, always with your safety and well-being as the top priority.

Follow-Up

After you complete your course of radiation therapy, follow-up appointments will be scheduled to support your recovery and ongoing care. Most patients are seen within two to six weeks after their final treatment to ensure that healing is progressing well and to address any lingering concerns.

During this post-treatment visit, your care team will also review the plan for future follow-up, including surveillance such as imaging studies or laboratory tests, and outline what to expect in the months ahead.

Over time, the frequency of visits with your radiation oncologist will gradually decrease. Please know, however, that your radiation oncology team remains available to you at any point should questions or concerns arise about your treatment or recovery.