Cancer Care
From diagnosis and throughout treatment, Main Line Health cancer specialists (oncologists) provide compassionate care for you and your loved ones through all stages of cancer treatment.
Radiation therapy uses high-energy waves or particles to destroy cancer cells. New technology allows doctors to focus radiation on very small and specific areas, which kills unhealthy cells and leaves healthy cells unharmed.
During external radiation therapy, radiation comes from outside the body and is targeted at tumors or the areas around where tumors were located.
You may also receive external radiation therapy:
New types of external radiation therapy allow you to receive high doses of radiation in fewer treatments. This cuts down your appointment times and, most importantly, kills cancer fast. Types of external radiation therapy include:
External radiation technology has become so advanced that machines that deliver radiation therapy even track how your tumor moves in real-time and adjusts radiation to match.
For instance, if you have a tumor in your lung, the machine will take into account the way the tumor moves when you breathe. As you breathe in and out, the radiation beams move so that they stay with the tumor and don't harm your healthy lung tissues. This is called respiratory gating technology.
External radiation therapy also uses image guidance to be sure to hit the tumor every time. Before your treatment, your doctors will take a computed tomography (CT) scan and precisely mark where the tumor is. Your scans are then loaded into the radiation machine. The machine senses where you are and won't even turn on radiation unless you line up exactly with your CT scan. This level of precision helps you keep as much healthy surrounding tissue as possible.
Depending on where your cancer is located, you may need to wear a gown during treatment. A nurse or technologist will help you lie in the correct spot for radiation. You may have special devices that help line you up in the right spot. Once you're in position, the technologist will leave the room so treatment can start.
During treatment, you'll lie very still, but breathe normally. The technologist will watch you from another room at all times. You won't feel any pain during the treatment. After treatment, the technologist will help you stand up or remove devices. You'll then change back into your clothes and go home.
From diagnosis and throughout treatment, Main Line Health cancer specialists (oncologists) provide compassionate care for you and your loved ones through all stages of cancer treatment.