Radiation therapy uses high-energy radiation, in the form of waves or particles, to destroy cancer cells by damaging their DNA. Because radiation can harm healthy cells, treatment must be carefully planned and precisely conducted to minimize side effects.
Radiation therapy may be given before, during, or after other therapies in your treatment plan. It may be used alone or with other treatments to destroy cancer cells, shrink tumors, prevent recurrence and relieve symptoms caused by the cancer, such as pain.
Listen in as David Mattson Jr., MD., as part of our “What to Expect” series, discusses radiation therapy and what you can expect from this type of treatment.
Selected Podcast
What to Expect: Radiation Therapy
Featured Speaker:
David Mattson Jr., MD
David Mattson Jr., MD is the Director of Radiation Oncology Residency Program at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Transcription:
What to Expect: Radiation Therapy
Bill Klaproth (Host): Radiation therapy uses high energy radiation to shrink tumors and kill cancer cells and is one of the most common treatments for cancer. And here to tell us more about radiation therapy and the radiation, what to expect series is, Dr. David Mattson, Jr., assistant professor, Department of Radiation Medicine, at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Mattson, thank you so much for your time today. So, let’s start at the beginning. What is radiation therapy?
Dr. David Mattson Jr., MD (Guest): Radiation therapy is modality of treatment for cancer, that works in conjunction with surgery and chemotherapy. Radiation is really a beam of high energy particles, particles like the sunlight, like microwaves and radio waves, but just at a much higher energy that’s able to penetrate into the body and reach cancer targets and actually allow us to kill them.
Bill: So, Dr. Mattson, on what parts of body is radiation best used for, or is it used by cancer type?
Dr. Mattson Jr.: Well, radiation can treat a wide variety of cancer types. Some types of cancer better suited to radiation than others. One of the principles is that, if we’re treating a smaller target in the body, then it’s done more safely, as a pose to treating the entire body where the amount of side effects and toxicity would be much greater. So, if we’re treating say a spot in the breast or a spot in the abdomen or pelvis. Those types of cancers are better treated with radiation than say, for instance, leukemia, where the cancer cells would be spread out through the entire body. In those cases, chemotherapy would be more appropriate.
Bill: So, it’s used for more of a localized area of the body?
Dr. Mattson Jr.: Exactly.
Bill: And is that the big difference then between radiation and chemotherapy?
Dr. Mattson Jr.: That I think would be the biggest difference. Radiation therapy is considered a local therapy similar to surgery, whereas chemotherapy would be a systemic treatment that covers the patient from head to toe.
Bill: Got you, and how is radiation therapy given?
Dr. Mattson Jr.: Radiation therapy is, alright, radiation therapy can be given in a number of different ways. Two general categories are brachytherapy therapy, where a radioactive source, a little piece of radioactive material is either implanted into the patient permanently or temporarily or placed near the cancer itself, and that exposure treats the cancer. The other way that radiation is delivered is with what we call, teletherapy, it’s similar to diagnostic x-ray’s or CT scanner, where we have a source of radiation that, at some distance from the patient, in many cases it’s about three feet away, three or four feet, and it’s directed at the patient and at the cancer specifically within the patient, and that’s what we call external beam radiation. And that’s what we most commonly use to treat patients, greater than 60%, perhaps 60% to 80% of all treatments we deliver are via external beam radiation.
Bill: So, when it comes to external beam radiation. How many visits does that generally take? Does the patient come in each week for a series of weeks or months?
Dr. Mattson Jr.: We give radiation and we prescribe a total dose that we know to be effective against the cancer, either definitely or curatively, or palliatively, and in most cases, we break that total dose up into smaller doses that’s better tolerated by the patient and their normal tissues. Giving entire dose in just one treatment would be overwhelming. So, when we divide up those treatments and it really varies depending on the disease site, and the intent of the treatment, the technique that we’re using. Most often, treatments are done in about four or five weeks. They can be as long as eight weeks in duration, and for palliative treatments they could be as short as two weeks, one week, or even a single treatment.
Bill: And what should someone expect when coming in for radiation?
Dr. Mattson Jr.: Well, coming in for radiation. Radiation is normally given every day, Monday through Friday, and each visit is about 30 minutes, 30 minutes long. It involves getting checked in at the front reception area, making their way back to the treatment unit, being taken in by the radiation therapist and getting setup on the treatment table. The radiation is then delivered and the beam on time may in the neighborhood of three to five minutes, depending on the type of treatment, and then of course they’re taken off the table. They’re changed back into their clothes and they’re on their way. Door to door about 30 minutes, which is pretty convenient for most patients. One thing that my patients enjoy or one thing that my patients like is the convenience of parking because it’s important that, that we keep our schedule running smoothly, and in order to do so, we need to make sure that patients don’t have any delays due to finding parking, or making their way into our department.
So, what we do here is here is we provide free parking next-door to our department. Other places, I know offer free valet services for their patients, but regardless that’s something that I think is made available across the board. Patients are here every day, and when you’re getting treated, you have the same treatment time each and every day, which makes your schedule more convenient as well as ours. And what patients realize is that, they start to see the same people getting treatment at the same time as them, and I’ve seen friendships develop where patients arrange to have lunch together and become really close.
And one more thing is, there’s the weekly doctor visits are on treatment visits. These are important visits for us as their radiation providers because it allows us to review how you’re doing in a subjective way, it also allows us to review objective measures, like the weight. In case someone is losing weight, we want to address that. If the blood work is… If there’s anything that’s changed with regard to the white blood cell count, it’s important for us to know that, and we make sure that any questions or concerns of patients are addressed.
Bill: And can you tell us more about the, what to expect series, I’m sure it covers some of the questions we’ve talked about today and more.
Dr. Mattson Jr.: Sure. So, as far as what to expect. Well, some of things that I hear from patients are that they may read on the internet or hear from friends that radiation comes with a lot of side effects or conversely, not very many at all. I think one of the things about radiation treatment, as with chemotherapy and other kinds of treatment is that everybody’s different. So, as far as having something to really, to really expect, to experience. I think the best way to approach it is to just be open-minded and realize that the side effects of radiation and how you do through treatment aren’t something that’s going to happen within a few days of treatment. It takes a few weeks before the side effects are noticed, and there’s a lot of opportunity because of that, to really address the side effects and get ahead of them before they become very bothersome.
Bill: Well, Dr. Mattson, that’s great information and thank you for sharing that with us. And for more on the radiation, what to expect series, please visit, RoswellPark.org, that’s RoswellPark.org. You’re listening to Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center Cancer Talk. I’m Bill Klaproth, thanks for listening.
What to Expect: Radiation Therapy
Bill Klaproth (Host): Radiation therapy uses high energy radiation to shrink tumors and kill cancer cells and is one of the most common treatments for cancer. And here to tell us more about radiation therapy and the radiation, what to expect series is, Dr. David Mattson, Jr., assistant professor, Department of Radiation Medicine, at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Mattson, thank you so much for your time today. So, let’s start at the beginning. What is radiation therapy?
Dr. David Mattson Jr., MD (Guest): Radiation therapy is modality of treatment for cancer, that works in conjunction with surgery and chemotherapy. Radiation is really a beam of high energy particles, particles like the sunlight, like microwaves and radio waves, but just at a much higher energy that’s able to penetrate into the body and reach cancer targets and actually allow us to kill them.
Bill: So, Dr. Mattson, on what parts of body is radiation best used for, or is it used by cancer type?
Dr. Mattson Jr.: Well, radiation can treat a wide variety of cancer types. Some types of cancer better suited to radiation than others. One of the principles is that, if we’re treating a smaller target in the body, then it’s done more safely, as a pose to treating the entire body where the amount of side effects and toxicity would be much greater. So, if we’re treating say a spot in the breast or a spot in the abdomen or pelvis. Those types of cancers are better treated with radiation than say, for instance, leukemia, where the cancer cells would be spread out through the entire body. In those cases, chemotherapy would be more appropriate.
Bill: So, it’s used for more of a localized area of the body?
Dr. Mattson Jr.: Exactly.
Bill: And is that the big difference then between radiation and chemotherapy?
Dr. Mattson Jr.: That I think would be the biggest difference. Radiation therapy is considered a local therapy similar to surgery, whereas chemotherapy would be a systemic treatment that covers the patient from head to toe.
Bill: Got you, and how is radiation therapy given?
Dr. Mattson Jr.: Radiation therapy is, alright, radiation therapy can be given in a number of different ways. Two general categories are brachytherapy therapy, where a radioactive source, a little piece of radioactive material is either implanted into the patient permanently or temporarily or placed near the cancer itself, and that exposure treats the cancer. The other way that radiation is delivered is with what we call, teletherapy, it’s similar to diagnostic x-ray’s or CT scanner, where we have a source of radiation that, at some distance from the patient, in many cases it’s about three feet away, three or four feet, and it’s directed at the patient and at the cancer specifically within the patient, and that’s what we call external beam radiation. And that’s what we most commonly use to treat patients, greater than 60%, perhaps 60% to 80% of all treatments we deliver are via external beam radiation.
Bill: So, when it comes to external beam radiation. How many visits does that generally take? Does the patient come in each week for a series of weeks or months?
Dr. Mattson Jr.: We give radiation and we prescribe a total dose that we know to be effective against the cancer, either definitely or curatively, or palliatively, and in most cases, we break that total dose up into smaller doses that’s better tolerated by the patient and their normal tissues. Giving entire dose in just one treatment would be overwhelming. So, when we divide up those treatments and it really varies depending on the disease site, and the intent of the treatment, the technique that we’re using. Most often, treatments are done in about four or five weeks. They can be as long as eight weeks in duration, and for palliative treatments they could be as short as two weeks, one week, or even a single treatment.
Bill: And what should someone expect when coming in for radiation?
Dr. Mattson Jr.: Well, coming in for radiation. Radiation is normally given every day, Monday through Friday, and each visit is about 30 minutes, 30 minutes long. It involves getting checked in at the front reception area, making their way back to the treatment unit, being taken in by the radiation therapist and getting setup on the treatment table. The radiation is then delivered and the beam on time may in the neighborhood of three to five minutes, depending on the type of treatment, and then of course they’re taken off the table. They’re changed back into their clothes and they’re on their way. Door to door about 30 minutes, which is pretty convenient for most patients. One thing that my patients enjoy or one thing that my patients like is the convenience of parking because it’s important that, that we keep our schedule running smoothly, and in order to do so, we need to make sure that patients don’t have any delays due to finding parking, or making their way into our department.
So, what we do here is here is we provide free parking next-door to our department. Other places, I know offer free valet services for their patients, but regardless that’s something that I think is made available across the board. Patients are here every day, and when you’re getting treated, you have the same treatment time each and every day, which makes your schedule more convenient as well as ours. And what patients realize is that, they start to see the same people getting treatment at the same time as them, and I’ve seen friendships develop where patients arrange to have lunch together and become really close.
And one more thing is, there’s the weekly doctor visits are on treatment visits. These are important visits for us as their radiation providers because it allows us to review how you’re doing in a subjective way, it also allows us to review objective measures, like the weight. In case someone is losing weight, we want to address that. If the blood work is… If there’s anything that’s changed with regard to the white blood cell count, it’s important for us to know that, and we make sure that any questions or concerns of patients are addressed.
Bill: And can you tell us more about the, what to expect series, I’m sure it covers some of the questions we’ve talked about today and more.
Dr. Mattson Jr.: Sure. So, as far as what to expect. Well, some of things that I hear from patients are that they may read on the internet or hear from friends that radiation comes with a lot of side effects or conversely, not very many at all. I think one of the things about radiation treatment, as with chemotherapy and other kinds of treatment is that everybody’s different. So, as far as having something to really, to really expect, to experience. I think the best way to approach it is to just be open-minded and realize that the side effects of radiation and how you do through treatment aren’t something that’s going to happen within a few days of treatment. It takes a few weeks before the side effects are noticed, and there’s a lot of opportunity because of that, to really address the side effects and get ahead of them before they become very bothersome.
Bill: Well, Dr. Mattson, that’s great information and thank you for sharing that with us. And for more on the radiation, what to expect series, please visit, RoswellPark.org, that’s RoswellPark.org. You’re listening to Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center Cancer Talk. I’m Bill Klaproth, thanks for listening.