Frequently Asked Questions
Miscellaneous FAQs
Is the treatment the same each day?
The short answer is: yes. But there are some conditions. The total dose of radiation that your oncologist has prescribed, will be divided into daily amounts. Each day you will receive a set amount of radiation and this dose will not change from day to day. Radiation is cumulative in the body, think of it like a staircase. Each individual step is the same height as the ones before and after it, but when they are added together, the staircase grows taller. Much in this same way, the daily radiation doses will be the same, but the effects will be cumulative over time.
What might change daily is the imaging verification that is performed before your treatment begins.
What also may change, is that you might receive what's called a "boost" or a "cone down." If your radiation oncologist prescribes a "boost" for you, it just means that the last couple treatments are going to be slightly different. A boost may range from 3 to 10 of your treatments. A boost is usually the same radiation dose that you've been receiving the whole time, but it will be in a smaller and more concentrated area.
On the first day of your boost (if you do receive one), you may find it similar to the first day of radiation that you received. Some extra imaging will be performed, and the physician will be called back to approve everything before you are treated.
Breast Treatment Boosts:
If you are going to receive a boost for your breast cancer treatment, generally the radiation will be concentrated to the specific area where the tumor was removed from (also called the lumpectomy cavity).
You may continue to receive treatments as you have been, or your doctor may choose to switch to electron treatments. Electron radiation will be aimed directly into the lumpectomy cavity, and this is achieved by using a special extension that your radiation therapist will attach to the radiation machine. This extension is called a "cone" and it may come close to you (about 5 inches or so from your skin) but it will never touch you. Sometimes for electron treatments, the therapist will place a gel like material over the lumpectomy area. This material is used to guide the radiation dose to the desired depth and is called a "bolus."
Prostate Treatment Boosts:
A prostate boost is fairly straightforward. Your daily dose will be the same, but the radiation will be focused to the specific area where your tumor was. A prostate boost will look just like a regular treatment, and you may not notice any difference between your regular treatments and your boost. This is OK, the difference is in the area that the machine will reach.
Head and Neck Treatment Boosts:
It is more rare for a head and neck treatment to include a boost, but it may still happen, and it's generally the same as any other boost. The radiation dose will be the same, but it will be delivered to a smaller area.
Will I See the Same 2 Therapists Daily?
Most likely yes, but therapists are human too, right? They go on vacations or lunch breaks like everyone else. Most likely you will see the same faces daily, with one or two others mixed in. Don't worry, we have detailed instructions specific to you. Even if a therapist has not met you before, they will know exactly how to set you up for treatment.
Am I Radioactive?
No, you are safe to be around. You are not radioactive at all, you may hug your family and hold babies and children. Think of the radiation like a flashlight in a dark room. Once the light is turned off, there's no residual light that remains.
Need more info?
I made this website to try and answer some questions that I have commonly received in clinic. If there's any additional information that you'd find useful, chances are, other patients will find it useful too! Please use the contact form below to ask question, leave suggestions, or to let me know if anything is confusing or needs clarification.