Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy is a common type of cancer treatment that uses high-energy beams to destroy cancer cells, shrinking tumors.

For most patients, radiation therapy is part of a complete treatment plan, most commonly used along with surgery and/or chemotherapy. There are several forms of radiation that can be administered non-invasively from outside of the body, similar to an X-ray, and other forms that are administered internally.

How Does Radiation Therapy Work?

A radiation oncologist will plan and oversee your radiation therapy treatment. For those receiving external beam radiation therapy, you'll visit one of the RMCC cancer centers several times a week for a few weeks.

During each session, one of our radiation therapists will help you lie under the machine in the same place so that treatments are administered to the targeted zone.  The exposure to radiation causes the cancer cells' DNA to fracture. Once the DNA is damaged, the cells have difficulty growing. The cells will either continue to grow very slowly or they will stop growing completely and die off.

Surrounding healthy cells will be exposed to some radiation, but most of them will recover and continue to function properly, whereas cancer cells will not. Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers uses the most advanced and latest radiation technology that helps minimize the exposure or effect on healthy cells. Every piece of technology used at Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers is accredited and checked daily to ensure the highest level of pinpoint accuracy.

How Does My Doctor Determine If Radiation Therapy Is Right For Me?

When you received your cancer diagnosis, you most likely were referred next to a cancer surgeon or a cancer specialist called a medical oncologist.  At that point, a treatment plan including radiation therapy was developed was based on many factors, including:

• Type and grade of cancer
• Size and location of the tumor
• Sensitivity of surrounding tissue
• Genetic components
• Family history
• Your age, overall health and medical history
• Your treatment goals and preferences

Another factor that may affect your radiation therapy treatment plan is whether you have received radiation to that body part in the past. Each area of the body has a safe lifetime dose of radiation it can receive. The decision to use radiation for recurrence will depend on the location of your tumor, the type of cancer, and the amount of radiation previously used.

Radiation therapy may be recommended alone or it may be recommended before, during, or after other treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy, or immunotherapy. Once you have been referred for treatment, either from within Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers or from a community provider, we usually can schedule you for your first appointment within two days.

Choosing Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers for Radiation

Radiation therapy is a specialty that requires a high level of skill, precision, and experience. You also want to make sure your provider utilizes state-of-the-art technology and has strict protocols in place to ensure on an ongoing basis that all equipment is properly functioning and precisely calibrated daily so that the high-energy radiation is delivered with pinpoint accuracy.

At Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers, we have been delivering the highest quality of radiation therapy treatment to patients throughout Colorado for more than 20 years. All of our radiation oncologists are board-certified, which means that you will be treated by highly trained and experienced physicians — not doctors who have just completed their training or who are still in residency. In addition, our entire radiation therapy staff from dosimetrists and radiation technicians to nurses and financial counselors work only in radiation therapy and all hold certifications where available.

Other factors to consider include:

• Technology: Radiation therapy relies heavily on equipment, so be sure to select a center with the most advanced technology.
• Experience: When it comes to choosing a provider, experience counts. At Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers, we have been treating patients since 1992.
• Timeliness: Once referred, we try to accommodate all new patients in for their first visit within 24 to 48 hours.
• Affordability: Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers is the largest community-based cancer network with clinics throughout Colorado. This allows us to offer our services more cost-effectively.
• Insurance: Be sure to check that the facility accepts your insurance and specific plan. Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers provides Patient Financial Counselors who specialize in radiation therapy to work one-on-one with you to understand what your insurance plan will cover, what you will be responsible to pay, and what financial aid is available.
• Innovation: While most changes in radiation therapy occur through the technology, researchers are always exploring techniques to better deliver radiation therapy. As part of the US Oncology Research network, the clinical teams at Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers stay up to date on the latest developments, ensuring that you will receive the best care supported by medical evidence.