We are here to support you through this part of your journey. At any time during your visit, if you feel unsure about anything, please let us know. The better we understand how you’re feeling, the more we can help make the process as comfortable and simple as possible.
If you have any special needs or requirements please let the department know in advance so we can offer assistance.
Initial Consultation
Your initial consultation will either be face to face or over the telephone with a Consultant Oncologist where you will discuss your treatment options.
They will review your medical information and may perform a physical examination to ensure the best management for you.
The Oncologist will also discuss the benefits and potential risks of radiation therapy and answer all of your questions.
If you and your Oncologist decide that you are to have radiation therapy, all potential side effects will be discussed with you and you will be asked to sign your consent form. (Consent will be verbally taken from you, if your consultation is by telephone).
Your planning appointment
If your Oncologist advises that you are ready to start the treatment process straight away, one of our administration team will telephone you within a few days to arrange a date and time for a planning session (CT simulation).
We will discuss any specific instructions that need to be followed before attending this scan.
If your treatment pathway is to start at a future date, one of our administration team will contact you by telephone nearer to that date.
CT simulation
The purpose of the CT simulation is to determine the best position for your treatment and to locate the exact area to be treated in relation to the surrounding normal tissues. Your simulation is performed on a CT scanner, and the images taken are used for your individualised radiation treatment planning.
When you enter the CT room, the staff will ask you to take off any clothes and jewellery from the area to be scanned. Please inform the staff members if you have any mobility limitations. You will then be asked to lie down on the couch top which slides through the scanner.
Depending on the treatment area and technique required, some people may need to have a mask made before having a planning CT scan to help keep the area still. This mask is often used for patients having treatment to their head/neck area.
Once you are properly positioned you will undergo the CT scan which usually takes just five minutes and is painless. Small permanent tattoo dots may be given to assist in your positioning daily for your treatment.
The whole CT simulation process lasts approximately 30 minutes - 1hour.
Our administration staff will have anticipated your Radiotherapy treatment start date and you will be given a schedule of appointment dates and times at your planning appointment. (This occasionally can be subject to change). When scheduling appointment times, every effort is made to accommodate you in regards to travelling, work, and childcare etc.
You will receive a revised copy of your schedule on the first day of your treatment, in case any adjustments have had to be made.
Treatment planning
The next step in the radiation therapy process is Treatment Planning.
We need to find out about the shape and size of the area of the body to be treated and then match it against images and reports from previous scans, knowledge of the disease process, and reports at the time of surgery. This information is then used to design an individual treatment plan, perform a dose calculation and finally, to allow a radiotherapy treatment prescription to be written.
Therefore, using the information obtained during CT, a ‘target volume’ is determined by your Oncologist on a computer planning system. Dosimetry staff will calculate the best method of delivering the treatment to the target, whilst at the same time avoiding as much normal tissue as possible.
Construction of accessories, computer calculations, data input and planning checks must be completed before treatment can begin. This is a very important and complicated phase of your individualised treatment.
Depending on complexity, this process can take from a few days to a few weeks.
Treatment
Radiation Therapy treatment is delivered by a Radiographer using a treatment unit called a linear accelerator. Treatment is usually given once a day, five times per week and takes around 20 minutes. A course of radiation therapy could be a single treatment or daily treatment for up to seven weeks or more. Your Oncologist will have advised you how many treatments you are to have at your initial consultation.
You will be required to lie in the same position as during the CT process, and we ask that you try to keep as still as possible during the procedure.
The Radiographers must leave the room during the treatment; however, they monitor you on CCTV cameras from outside the room. There is also an intercom system, so if you need assistance, call out or raise your hand.
The direction of the beam is set by moving the treatment unit and the couch, on which you are lying, to the correct position. You will not see or feel anything while the radiation is being delivered but you will hear some buzzing noises from the unit.
While undergoing a course of radiation therapy, most patients are able to maintain their usual lifestyle at home or at work. However, it is normal for most patients to feel tired so it is best to plan your days to allow for rest when you need it. By drinking enough water, maintaining a well-balanced diet and continuing with your usual level of physical activity you will be better able to maintain your energy levels.
You may find that your skin is affected by treatment. If necessary you will be given skincare instructions. More information on the management of side effects is available, please ask if you would like a copy.
You will meet with a member of our Review Radiographer team and/or your Oncologist once a week during treatment to discuss any concerns and to ensure you are handling the treatment well. If you are experiencing any side effects, medications may be prescribed to help reduce them and management strategies will be discussed.
If you are experiencing a problem at any stage during your treatment please tell your Radiographer who will arrange appropriate care and support for you.
Follow up
Once you have completed your treatment, our administration team will book you an appointment for a follow up visit/telephone call as directed by your Oncologist.
Follow-up visits/calls are important for the Oncologist to monitor your progress as well as to address any side effects that you may be experiencing.
After your initial follow-up, visits are generally scheduled at 3 - 6 month intervals, depending on your case and how you are doing. All the information about your treatment will be sent to your GP and other doctors as necessary.
