Radiation therapy is usually given 5 days a week for 6 or 7 weeks. Small amounts of daily radiation are given rather than a few large doses to help protect normal body tissues in the treatment area. Weekend rest breaks allow normal cells to recover.
The Treatment Visit
In the treatment room, the radiation therapist will use the marks on the skin to locate the treatment area. The patient will either sit in a special chair or lie down on a treatment table. The patient may be in the treatment room about 15 to 30 minutes, the dose of radiation is given only about 1 to 5 minutes of that time. External radiation treatment is painless.
The radiation therapist may put special shields (or blocks) between the machine and certain parts of the body to help protect normal tissue and other organs. There may be plastic or plaster forms to help the patient stay in the exact place. The patient will need to remain very still during the treatment so that the radiation reaches only the area where it is needed. The radiation therapist will leave the treatment room before the radiation is given. The machine is controlled from a small area that is nearby.
Check out my next article on external and internal radiation therapy. Until then my thoughts and prayers are with you. L.P.
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