YOUR PROSTATE CARE THERAPY

• • Treatment Planning

After the simulation is complete, your radiation oncologist and other treatment team members study data collected during the simulation phase in addition to any previous medical tests and proceed in developing your treatment plan. Upon completion of the review, your radiation oncologist will write a prescription detailing where and how much radiation will be administered. The start of treatment is based on the complexity of your treatment plan. Different cancers are treated with varying degrees of radiation: your doctor will advise you on the length of your treatment.

After reviewing this information, the doctor will write a prescription that outlines exactly how much radiation is to be given and where. Once the treatment planning is complete, treatment will begin. The complexity of the treatment plan dictates how soon after simulation, treatment will begin. Not all cancers are treated with the same amount of radiation; your doctor will tell you how long the treatment will last.

• • Your First Day

Treatment verification films (also called beam films or port films) are completed in the Radiation Oncology Unit after simulation but prior to your first dose of radiation. The verification films verify that the area being treated is the exact area the doctor planned. The doctor must approve the verification films before your first dose of radiation is administered.

• • Your Daily Treatments

The radiation therapists will assure your correct positioning, including utilizing the immobilization devise if it is part of your treatment plan. Once your correct placement is confirmed, the therapist will proceed to the control area, where they can closely monitor you on a TV screen. If you need to speak with the therapist at any point, there is a microphone in your treatment room. If you feel uncomfortable or sick, the machine can be stopped at any time. Just like getting an X-ray, each treatment is painless.

During your treatment, the radiation therapist may move the treatment table and treatment machine in order to target the radiation beam to the precise area of the tumor. If you hear clicking, knocking, or whirring sounds coming from the treatment machine during your treatment, this is normal. Your time on the treatment table is approximately 10-15 minutes: most of this time is spent setting you up for your treatment.

Usually, treatments are scheduled five days per week, Monday through Friday, and last 1 to 10 weeks, depending on the type of cancer we are treating you for.

• • Weekly Status Checks

Your radiation oncologist will see you regularly to follow your progress. He will evaluate you to see if you have any side effects and then recommend treating the side effects, such as medicine. Depending on your treatment progress, your doctor may make changes in your schedule or treatment plan depending on your response or reaction to the therapy. Please share any concerns or questions you may have during these visits.

Your radiation therapy team may also meet on a regular basis with other healthcare professionals to review your case. This ensures that your treatment is proceeding as planned. During these meetings, all the members of the team discuss your progress as well as any concerns.

• • Weekly Port/Beam Films

It is vital to make sure that radiation beams precisely target where they are designed to go during your treatment process. Every week the radiation therapists will take port or beam films to be reviewed by the radiation oncologist for approval. These are the same time films that were taken on your first day. Your radiation oncologist must approve these films before your treatment can proceed. On days of port/beam films, you may be on the table for a few more minutes than your regular treatment days. The films do not show the tumor’s response to radiation.

• • Follow-up

Upon completing your treatment, your radiation oncologist works closely with your medical team to ensure that your recovery process is normal.