This allows your radiation oncologist to continually check your progress. Weekly exams also provide an ideal opportunity for you to ask questions and discuss any side effects that you may be having. Progress notes are recorded weekly. Your physician may also order blood tests. At the end or your treatment series, you will be referred back to your primary physician, who will work closely with your radiation oncologist to develop a program of follow-up care.
Radiation destroys the ability of cells to grow and divide.
Although it affects both normal and diseased cells, research has shown that malignant cells are more susceptible to radiation than normal cells. The patient is exposed to radiation in a carefully controlled environment designed to offer maximum protection for normal healthy tissue, while targeting malignant cells with high doses of radioactivity. RT has the potential to cure certain cancers and can usually save or prolong a patient's life by slowing the growth of certain types of cancer cells. In cases where it isn't possible to cure the cancer, RT can provide relief from pain, bleeding or other symptoms related to the malignancy. Although extraordinary precautions are taken to prevent it, there is always the chance that some healthy cells may be destroyed during treatment.