Radiation therapy may be a good option if your cancer is caught early, such as Stage I or Stage II cancer. Many patients have a high survival rate after the use of radiation therapy to remove cancerous cells in their body, especially if the cancer is detected early. Radiation therapy uses high-energy beams from X-rays and protons to kill cancerous cells in your throat. Your doctor may use a large machine outside your body, known as external beam radiation. You can also receive radiation through small radioactive seeds and wires placed inside your body, near your cancer, known as brachytherapy. Your doctor may suggest 3-D conformal radiation therapy, where several radiation beams are doled out in the exact shape of your tumor or tumors. You may also get radiation in the form of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), where the treatment is customized to the specific shape of your tumor. This allows the radiation to be more precise. If you have a more advanced stage of throat cancer, your doctor may recommend doing radiation therapy in tandem with other treatments, such as surgery or chemotherapy. You may also combine radiation with other treatments if you have very large tumors on your throat. If you have very advanced throat cancer, your doctor may suggest radiation therapy to reduce your symptoms and make you more comfortable as your body experiences the cancer. Your doctor should outline the symptoms of radiation therapy before you undergo treatment so you know what to expect. Many patients develop sores in their mouth and throat, which can make eating and drinking difficult. They may then experience weight loss and malnutrition because they cannot eat or drink. You may also experience skin issues, such as blistering or peeling, dry mouth, difficulty swallowing, a loss of taste, hoarseness, or difficulty breathing. Keep in mind many of these side effects will go away after you stop radiation therapy. Radiation therapy can also damage your salivary glands, causing your mouth to be permanently dry. Radiation therapy can damage your thyroid gland, so your doctor will run blood tests to make sure your thyroid is in good condition.
++++++++++
One-sentence summary -- Speak to your doctor about radiation therapy. Combine radiation with other treatments for more advanced cancer. Learn the symptoms of radiation therapy.

Take care not to touch the inside of the cap with your fingers, to avoid contamination. Write "drinking water" on the side, along with the date you bottled it or purchased it. Light and heat can damage containers, especially plastic ones. Sunlight can also cause algae or mold to grow in clear containers, even sealed, store-bought bottles. Do not store plastic containers near chemical products, especially gasoline, kerosene, and pesticides. Vapors can pass through some plastic containers and contaminate the water. Store a 3 day supply in small containers near an exit, in case of an emergency evacuation. If stored properly, unopened, store-bought bottled water should stay good indefinitely, even if the bottle has an expiration date. If you bottled the water yourself, replace it every 6 months. Replace plastic containers when the plastic becomes cloudy, discolored, scratched, or scuffed. You can drink or use the old supply of water before replacing it. If you need to use your emergency supply, store open water containers in a refrigerator or cold location. Use an open container within 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator, 1 to 2 days in a cold room, or a few hours in a warm room. After that, purify the remaining water again by boiling it or adding chlorine. Drinking directly from the container or touching the rim with dirty hands increases the risk of contamination.
++++++++++
One-sentence summary -- Seal the container tightly. Label the container. Store in a cool, dark place. Check on the supply every 6 months. Open 1 container at a time.

Decide what you want to achieve before you get started in the program. If you'll be working sixty hours a week while also attending school, it might be a bad idea to aim for being #1 in your class. Don't use your undergrad experience as a barometer. As an undergrad you were likely able to devote your full attention to school. Don't expect to get the same grades (at least right away) in your MBA program while working full time. Pay attention to the competition but don't let it get to you. Everyone else in your part-time MBA program likely has similar goals: they want to move up in their careers as well. This is a self-selected group of high achievers so you should expect the competition to be tough. Try to remember that you're there to learn skills and develop a network, not necessarily to be the best in the class. Pursuing an MBA while working full-time is an ambitious challenge. You'll need to juggle work, school, and family responsibilities. You should understand how much time you'll be devoting to each before you jump in. Use a planner. Whether digital or paper, a planner is essential to navigating through an MBA while working. Use the planner to write in test days, due dates for both school and work assignments, and other important dates. Use a "to do" list with specific tasks. It feels good to scratch things off your "to do" list, and doing so will help keep you on track. If your list says something like "study," it's hard to know when you've completed the task. Instead, write something like, "study Chapter Two of the Business Skills 101 text and make flash cards." Schedule big study blocks. As a part-time MBA student working full time, you'll need to use whatever time you have to study. However, you should also schedule study blocks into your planner every week. If you're a morning person, plan to wake up early and study; if you're a night owl, schedule your study blocks for nighttime. Figure out what you can cut out. You may need to cut back on time at the gym, social activities, or other things in your life. It's easy to get burned out while pursuing an MBA and working full-time. You should schedule days off ahead of time. That way, you can look forward to your planned days off and not feel guilty when you take them. Studying hard is important for success in your MBA. Studying smart means using the best strategies to study effectively and efficiently. Instead of heading to a restaurant for lunch, pack one and study in your office during your lunch hour. Keep your study materials with you whenever you can. If you have unexpected downtime, you'll always be prepared to hit the books. Many schools have tutors that can help you with your work. If you're having trouble understanding a concept you should reach out to a tutor. Remember that you're getting an MBA to improve your marketability. If you start slacking off at work or missing days, the negative impression of your boss could offset any gains from having an MBA. If you start to feel overwhelmed, talk to your school first. They have resources to help you manage your time and your stress. If worst comes to worst and you feel like you're going to miss a work deadline, talk to your boss. It's better to let your employer know beforehand that you'll be late with a project than to have to explain yourself later.
++++++++++
One-sentence summary --
Set realistic expectations. Budget your time. Schedule downtime. Study smart. Don't skimp on work.