Radiation Oncology Services

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Our patients and their families look to us for effective, state-of-the-art treatment services offered with a caring touch. We are staffed and equipped to provide optimal treatment for many different types of cancer. Seton Medical Center is a full-service radiation therapy facility with the most up-to-date equipment for treating various types of cancer.

Radiation Oncology Team

Our radiation oncology team consists of radiation oncologists, physicists, dosimetrists, and support staff to provide quality, compassionate service to our patients. Our team members are trained, certified or licensed as specialists in their area of expertise.

Radiation Oncology Services

Seton Medical Center is dedicated to offering the most advanced treatments in convenient settings, while providing clinically excellent, compassionate care to patients, and outstanding service to referring physicians. Our services include:

3-D Conformal Radiation
Conventional External Beam Radiation
Intensity-modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)
Low Dose Rate Brachytherapy (LDR)
Strontium-90 Applications for Pterygium of eyes
Superficial Therapy Unit for treating skin cancers — we can treat superficial to complex, deep-seated tumors
Prostate Seed Implants
Radionuclide Therapy for thyroid cancer, lymphoma and cancer involving the liver

Equipment

Varian Clinac 21iX
Varian Clinac 600C
Varian Eclipse Treatment Planning System
Varian ARIA Patient Management System
General Electric Hi-Speed Cti Performix CT Simulator
Picker Zephyr Superficial X-ray Unit

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Radiation Therapy?
Radiation therapy is a medical specialty in which radiation is used in treating various diseases. It includes methods and techniques for destroying tumor cells while preserving the surrounding normal tissues. Radiation is administered to the body in two ways: externally, by using a unit that generates the radiation beam called “Accelerator” and internally, by placing radioactive materials into body tissues or cavities called “implants.” Over a period of time, the radiation will kill tumor cells and shrink the tumor.

Radiation dosages are carefully calculated and monitored to best destroy tumor cells without creating undue side effects. Because radiation doses are cumulative (they build on one another), a series of treatments is necessary to ensure you receive the correct amount for the type and stage of your disease. In many instances, radiation therapy is the best method for the treatment and cure of cancer. Radiation may also be combined with surgery and/or chemotherapy to cure or control the disease.

What happens first?
Before your treatment can actually begin, we will schedule a clinical consultation and evaluation. At that time, the radiation oncologist will review your records, X-rays and test results, and perform a physical examination. He or she will discuss treatment recommendations and side effects with you.

After evaluating all these factors, we will prepare a treatment plan and discuss it with you. The first step in your treatment is to have a good treatment plan. The treatment planning segment usually takes about 30 minutes to one hour. We need to determine the appropriate position for you, and we will use special immobilization devices to hold your position. We will mark some reference points on your skin at the treatment site with colored ink lines or small tattoos, so that we can identify the exact location to be treated and check for positioning at each session. (Be careful not to scrub these areas when washing; this may remove the marks and irritate the skin.) We also need to conduct a treatment planning CT scan on the part of your body where radiation treatment will be given. Based on data from the CT scan, we will determine the treatment volumes, radiation beam angles and shapes of the treatment fields, and calculate doses.

What happens during treatment?
When you come for treatment, you will be asked to lie on a flat table that will be placed in front of the radiation treatment unit. Your body will be positioned so that the radiation beams are precisely focused on the areas to be treated. Once positioned, it is important for you to remain still and breathe normally.

After ensuring you are in the correct position, the therapist will move to the control area to administer the treatment and observe you closely on closed-circuit television monitors. You can talk to the therapist through the intercom system if you need to.

How long is each treatment?
The radiation treatment itself is usually very brief. It takes only a few minutes for each visit. Most of the time is spent setting up for the treatment to ensure that the radiation beam is accurately placed. Plan to stay 15 to 30 minutes for each visit.

How many treatments will I need?
The number and frequency of treatments will be determined by the individual requirements of your case. The course of treatment may vary from one day to several weeks. A typical series may consist of four or five treatments a week over a four- to eight-week period. Reports of your progress will be given to your physician during the course of your treatment.

Will treatment hurt?
You will not feel anything during the beam-on time. Radiation is invisible and painless.

Can I miss a treatment?
The spacing of radiation treatments is important. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you have all your treatments on the dates scheduled. If an emergency will cause you to miss an appointment, please notify the Radiation Oncology Department at 650-991-6726 as soon as possible.

Will I experience side effects?
Most patients experience no serious difficulty during treatments. The side effects that you may experience depend on the intensity and frequency of radiation and the specific body area treated. In addition, side effects can vary from person to person because of individual sensitivity to radiation.

Before treatment begins, we will discuss with you which side effects are likely to occur and what measures you can take to control or relieve them. During the course of treatment, be sure to let us know if you have any side effects or difficulties.

Will I need a special diet?
At the beginning and during the course of treatment, we will check your weight and discuss whether your diet may be modified, depending on your specific treatment area and/or side effects. In any case, you should eat a well-balanced diet high in protein and calories.

Will I lose my hair?
Only hair that is in the path of the radiation beam will fall out, but in most instances it will grow back after all the treatments are completed.

Will radiation affect my skin?
For many treatments, there is some skin reaction. The area of skin exposed to the radiation may become dry, reddened, itchy or tanned. In many cases, the skin irritation is minimal and very tolerable. For others, special skin care and treatment might be needed. These reactions are temporary and subside within a few weeks of completing therapy.

Suggestions for the care of skin that is exposed to radiation: