It’s true that radiation is bad for our body but when it is controlled, it can work against many diseases. With high energy waves, they target cancer cells and try to destroy them before they spread. The problem with this dangerous disease is that their cells divide much faster. Another issue is that when we target them, we may also terminate what is good for our health.
You need to differentiate radiation therapy from chemotherapy which is usually taken by injection and which exposes your whole body to the drugs that fight cancer. Chemotherapy is more dangerous to your health but it is more accessible and that is why many people undergo this process. It’s always beneficial to have knowledge about this issue because it is one of the things in medicine that takes a lot of attention. To read more click here.
Consultation
If you or your family members were diagnosed or have some doubts, the first thing is visiting radiation oncology for consultation with a team including a nurse and physician. Try to be mentally prepared because it can last for two or more hours and you won’t get the treatment right away. They will gather every piece of information about your medical history.
Most first visits will include a physical examination and checking your medical history and discussing treatment opportunities. Make sure you schedule the appointment because waiting times can be big if they are doing a great job and have reputable doctors. When investigating yourself, try to focus on getting the best treatment instead of figuring out what can be done and what is the problem because most people will overreact. Read more here: https://www.wikihow.com/Prepare-for-Cancer-Treatment
Simulation and Planning
Preparation is the key when they decide that you will start the therapy. The first step is usually the simulation or SIM which is used to find the exact location that will be treated. You will undergo a CT scan that will assure accuracy and verify the anatomy. In most cases, you will be marked with permanent ink that is used for tattoos that make sure that everything is precise.
This will only take an hour depending on the staff and in the meanwhile, they will discuss how many times you will need to come and arrange a space for you depending on the schedule. When the simulation is finished, you will rest for a few days until they create a plan for your diagnosis. There are also different machine so they will need to pick one and set the amount of radiation needed
Radiation Treatment
Depending on the cancer type and its location they will prescribe the number of treatments. There’s no need to contact other patients for information about it because it can be different for every individual. There are many options you can have which will be discussed with you when making a plan.
A full process can take up to several weeks but some can be finished in a few days. The person that is in charge of you will always be licensed so there’s nothing to worry about when it comes to professionalism. Side effects are common but a certain extent they shouldn’t impact your health too much. Never hide when something is wrong because it may cause more issues.
You will need to visit them for a certain period of time when everything is over just to check how it is progressing. They will give you instructions for the follow-up visits. This is especially important because it can happen that the cancer returns and you need to do everything all over again. There are many successful operations so you should always think positively.
What Are The Goals?
It won’t be able to help every patient because it can’t reach some parts of the body but it can work in combination with other methods. The main reason is used is to shrink or cure the early-stage of cancer. It can completely go away when it is very sensitive to radiation. Some patients will undergo chemotherapy first.
A goal can be to make the cells more sensitive to radiation before going through the treatment. The side effects may be worse but the benefits will mean a lot more to the patient. Another goal can be to stop cancer from recurring somewhere else. They will always assume that it spread even if it can’t be seen after the scan. A good thing is that it can be treated before it even grows into tumors.
Symptoms can be really hard for some patients and they need to be treated immediately. It can spread all over the body and it can’t be cured but some tumors will be treated to make the person feel better. This can also be the goal because the pain can be unbearable. You can also treat cancer that has returned.
