Radiation therapy

Before treating your unique cancer with radiation, we will likely schedule you for treatment planning.

CT and 3D treatment planning

These imaging scans are used by the doctor to map out the specific area you need to be treated, so the radiation is as targeted and accurate as possible. This scan can tell your doctor the type and size of your cancer, whether the cancer is close to other structures in your body and how far the radiation will need to travel.

Respiratory gated treatment planning

Respiratory gating is a process that adjusts the radiation beam to account for any movement of your chest during the normal breathing process. A tumor can sometimes move during treatment, primarily if it is located in a part of the body that naturally moves. With this technique, our team can create a personalized treatment that keeps potential position changes in mind.

Our care team includes radiation oncologists, nurse practitioners, radiation therapists, medical physicists, dosimetrists, nurses, care coordinators and nurse navigators to ensure you receive comprehensive care in a safe, comfortable environment.

We will be by your side throughout your cancer journey, providing both you and your family with a variety of resources, information and encouragement, including:

• Access to clinical trials
• Connections to support groups for you and your family
• Educational materials and programs to guide your decisions
• Genetic counseling services
• Guidance for caregivers navigating a cancer diagnosis and treatment of a loved one
• Ongoing contact and follow-up with you, your caregivers and the additional doctors who are treating you
• Recommendations on how to manage common side effects of cancer treatment and how to feel better through exercise, nutrition and pain management
• Referrals to community and outside resources, such as financial and legal assistance, as well as spiritual guidance
• Understanding, reassurance and compassionate care

For more information about our cancer program or to schedule an appointment, call us at (361) 985-2273.

Radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy and radiation oncology, is one of the most common cancer treatments. Radiation therapy uses high-energy ionizing radiation to treat disease deep within your body, noninvasively.

During treatment, you may expect your doctor to conduct a computerized tomography (CT ) scan to precisely locate and identify your cancer. Beams of radiation will then be arranged to maximize the dose of medicine to your cancer and remain lower in your healthy tissues, inhibiting your cells ability to grow and divide.

Radiotherapy may help:

• Alleviate or reduce discomfort
• Control cancer symptoms
• Eliminate cancer entirely
• Improve your quality of life
• Slow the growth or spread of cancer

We offer a wide range of services and treatments using radiation to slow and, ideally, stop the growth of cancer. To see the best possible outcomes, your physician may administer radiation therapy in combination with other cancer treatments, such as surgery or chemotherapy.

Brachytherapy

Brachytherapy is an internal radiation procedure that involves a radioactive implant inside your body, in or near a tumor. Based on the type of cancer and treatment plan, implants may be temporary or permanent.

Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT)

IGRT allows radiation therapists to see where they are directing the radiation so they can be more precise in treating your cancer. It's used to treat areas of the body that move, such as the lungs. This therapy is paired with imaging technology that allows your doctor to view the tumor before and during treatment.

Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)

IMRT is an advanced form of radiation therapy used to treat various types of tumors. This procedure can influence beams of radiation to conform to the shape of a tumor. These beams are controlled and can change throughout your treatment. IMRT allows for targeted radiation dosing and avoids or reduces the side effects of treatment on the surrounding tissue.

Prostate seed implantation

This type of radiation therapy involves placing radioactive seeds into your prostate to kill cancerous cells. This procedure provides a high dose of radiation to the prostate gland and, sometimes, the seminal vesicles on either side of the prostate gland.

The stage of cancer determines whether you are a viable candidate for the procedure. Seeds give off their radiation slowly over several months. Within one year, the radioactivity is usually gone; however, the seeds remain in the prostate gland.

Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT)

SBRT is a minimally invasive surgical procedure used to deliver precise radiation from different angles to your small tumor area. This procedure is most commonly used for brain tumors and some head, neck, lung, spine and liver tumors. SBRT is generally delivered in three to five treatments.

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS)

SRS delivers large, precise radiation doses to small tumors in your brain or spine without cutting or any additional surgical procedure. This minimally invasive type of surgery targets a tumor with more precision than standard radiation treatment options.

Fighting cancer takes a team

HCA Healthcare Sarah Cannon Cancer Network delivers you exceptional cancer care through cutting-edge, specialized treatments, multidisciplinary collaboration and care that is tailored to you. Our teams of passionate caregivers and global oncology experts across the United States and United Kingdom offer services and expertise that extend across many types of cancer. Together with the full support of HCA Healthcare – a leading provider of cancer care and research – we’re with you and your family from diagnosis through survivorship.

askSARAH helpline

Have cancer questions? We can help. askSARAH is a dedicated helpline for your cancer-related questions. Our specially trained nurses are available 24/7, and all calls are confidential. Contact askSARAH at (844) 482-4812.