Key Players In The Treatment Of Cancer

There are many key players involved in using radiation therapy in the treatment of cancer including: radiation oncologists, physicists, dosimetrists, radiation therapists and nurses.  Working in collaboration with one another a plan of action is developed that is unique to each and every individuals cancer and treatment goals.  Each player being a central piece in ensuring that the plan for treating the cancer runs smoothly, patient care needs are exceeded and that end treatment goals are met. 

A radiation oncologist is the physician in charge of treatment that has completed their residency specializing in radiation oncology.  They control the role that radiation therapy will play for the patient.  From patient care, treatment planning through to evaluating the patient’s response to treatment the radiation oncologist is accountable. 

Both physicists and dosimetrists aid the radiation oncologist in treating the patient.  These individuals are the ones that are depended on to create immobilization devices that will hold patients in one position throughout radiation treatment.  This ensures that the patient is still and the beams of radiation from the linear accelerator machine can narrow in on the cancerous tumors instead of the healthy tissues surrounding the area.  They are also responsible for generating computer plans, calculating radiation doses and carry out a system of checks and balances to ensure that treatment is accurate.

The radiation therapists are in charge of daily treatments and for the simulation procedures.  Every day radiation therapists work closely with patients to assist in care including treatment positioning, making sure the radiation field is on target and delivering treatment.  Radiation therapists work closely with radiation oncologists to determine changes that need to be made before the next treatment.

Nurses carry a great deal of responsibility when it comes to cancer treatment.  They are the individuals that are responsible for the patients care before, during and after treatment.  Nurses assist radiation oncologists with everything from coordinating appointments, keeping up to date on client’s symptoms relating to their treatment as well as making referrals for social services as needed.  Nurses are the people that work to keep not only the patient but also their families up to date on treatments, side effects, medications and plans for long-term.  Nurses are the main support staff for the patient. 

Many different professionals are needed to provide radiation therapy effectively to patients. There is not one job more important than the next when it comes to ensuring that patients are receiving adequate care and treatment. 

Acceletronics delivers the best equipment performance and service reliability from Linear Accelerators and CT Scanners across all major brands and models.  Our qualified oncology equipment specialists provide a quality customer experience across the USA with timely field maintenance.  We sell, repair, refurbish, move and finance oncology medical systems check out more at http://www.acceletronics.com.

Step By Step Cancer Treatment Planning

There are many steps that need to be taken in the treatment of cancer.  With advancements in technology and the use of equipment such as CT scanners and linear accelerators cancer is more treatable than ever before.  The treatment of cancer varies slightly depending on the type of cancer being treated however the steps involved in the process remain virtually the same throughout. 

Consultation: When a patient is first diagnosed with cancer and radiation is needed patients will make an appointment to meet with a radiation oncologist for a consultation.  During this visit the patient’s medical history will be reviewed at great lengths.  Recommendations will be discussed so that a plan for radiation treatment can be formed.

Simulations:  The next step involved in radiation therapy as part of a treatment plan for cancer is simulation.  This is the visit in which patients will be positioned for treatment.  It is important that treatment positioning is done to determine how the body should lay during treatment to best target the tumor.  Often immobilization devices are designed to mold to a patient to allow them to easily be positioned for treatment.  Medical immobilization devices are not always needed for radiation therapy.

During simulations x-rays and CT scans are performed to compare the tumors location to the location of the healthy tissue surrounding it.  Often times contrasting material is used to allow technicians to visualize certain landmarks that would not otherwise be visible.  These are removed after the x-ray is taken and in their places small markings are left on the skin to allow visual representation for treatment the following day. 

Planning: Radiation oncologists, physics staff and dosimetrists are all three linked in the treatment planning process. Radiation oncologists design the field for treatment using the x-ray images that were obtained during the simulation process.  The physics staff is in charge of shaping the radiation beams that are to be used in treatment to prevent the healthy tissue from being damaged while targeting the cancerous tumor. 

Along with computer technology the dosimetrist and radiation oncologist work together to determine the best dose of radiation for the treatment field selected.  This process may take more than one visit.  The goal being that each day the same treatment field is receiving the needed radiation without damaging healthy, surrounding tissues while not over treating the tumor.

Treatment:  Radiation treatments themselves do not hurt.  It is however crucial to have the patient remains completely still throughout the entire treatment process which often can be difficult. 

Typical Treatment Day:  During treatment the radiation patient will check in at the reception desk.  They will then be escorted into the treatment room where the clothing that is covering the area that is to be treated is uncovered.  Patients are made comfortable, shielding is set in place, therapists place the linear accelerator and the appropriate does is given.  Once this is complete the patient is free to leave.

Side Effects of Radiation:  The most common side effects in radiation therapy are exhaustion, loss of energy and skin tenderness.  Most often skin irritation only occurs at the area where the treatment is being administered.  Other side effects such as hair loss, sore throat, coughing, nausea and vomiting can occur but are not as common.  It is good to note that most side effects will usually resolve themselves in four to six weeks after completing treatment.

Aftercare: In any surgery or procedure the support before and during are as equally as important as the support and care the patient receives after.  A crucial element in the recovery process after radiation therapy is to keep you radiation oncologist keyed in on changes to your health.  It is also important that the patient stay on track with the scheduled treatment plan to avoid having a negative impact on the outcome goal.

Acceletronics delivers the best equipment performance and service reliability from Linear Accelerators and CT Scanners across all major brands and models.  Our qualified oncology equipment specialists provide a quality customer experience across the USA with timely field maintenance.  We sell, repair, refurbish, move and finance oncology medical systems check out more at http://www.acceletronics.com.

Treating Cancer With Radiation

Radiation therapy involves using specific energy carried by waves or streams of particles in order to treat numerous types of cancer.  When it involves radiation there are several different levels of energy.  All of us have been exposed to certain low levels of radiation through things like the sun and x-rays.  Higher levels of radiation energy however can be used in the treatment of cancers and other illnesses.  Radiation therapy takes and makes use of these high-energy rays and particles to treat cancer.

By definition cancer is a tumor which consists of an overgrowth of abnormal cells.  As the abnormal cells grow they multiply and begin to divide quickly producing new cancerous tumor cells.  This ability, to multiply and divide without any limits and take over normal cells, makes cancerous cells different. 

There are numerous types of cancers.  Each different cancer is unique in how it grows and reacts to treatment.  Radiation therapy is just one type of treatment for cancer.  It helps treat cancer by interfering with the cell’s ability to multiple and divide.  In high doses, radiation, defeats cancer by stopping the growth of further cells and killing the existing cancerous cells. 

There are four main approaches to treating cancer including: radiation therapy, surgery, chemotherapy and biological therapy.  No two cancers are alike therefore no two treatments are alike.  Cancers are each unique, research has helped physicians determine the treatment or combination of treatments that is most useful in treatment.  Surgery may be used in combination with radiation therapy, chemotherapy and/or biological therapy.  In order to treat cancer or relieve patients from the undesirable symptoms of cancer, like bleeding or pain, radiation therapy is used. 

Many types of cancer such as brain tumors, head and neck cancers, lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, skin cancer, rectal cancer, cervix cancer, uterine cancer, lymphoma and sarcoma are all commonly treated using radiation therapy. 

There are two different manners in which radiation therapy can be given: external beam irradiation and brachytherapy, or internal radiation.  External beams irradiation is the most common method of treating cancer using radiation.  The treatment distributes radiation to specific, targeted areas of the body using a large machine similar to an x-ray machine called a linear accelerator.  Treatment using linear accelerator equipment is given every day, Monday through Friday, for anywhere between one and eight weeks depending on the type of cancer and the reason why the patient is receiving treatment.  It can be given between once a day to three times a day depending on the cancer that is being treated. 

Acceletronics delivers the best equipment performance and service reliability from Linear Accelerators and CT Scanners across all major brands and models.  Our qualified oncology equipment specialists provide a quality customer experience across the USA with timely field maintenance.  We sell, repair, refurbish, move and finance oncology medical systems check out more at http://www.acceletronics.com.

Radio Surgery Verse Radiation Therapy

Linear accelerator machines, LINAC for short, are used to generate radiation in the form of high energy x-rays.  The LINAC systems general purpose is to deliver radiation in a direct, concentrated form.  They target cancer treatment specifically to the tumor without damaging the healthy tissues that surround the tumor.  Modifications can be done to the machine for it to be used in radio surgery and IMRT, intensity modulated radiation therapy.

Linear accelerator equipment can be dedicated or non-dedicated.  A dedicated LINAC machine is one that has additional equipment attached permanently that allows it to perform higher levels of radiation treatments.  This is the method that most radiation oncologists prefer to use.  A non-dedicated LINAC machine is one that can be used for conventional radiation therapy and converted to allow higher levels of treatment.  A non-dedicated LINAC system does not offer the same degree of accuracy in treatment that a dedicated linear accelerator does.

Radio surgery can be performed with linear accelerator machines.  Radio surgery involves a surgical procedure that neurosurgeons and radiation oncologists perform together.  This procedure often takes an entire day to perform.  The whole procedure involved immobilization, scanning, planning and the actual surgical procedure itself.  The amount of radiation given in one dose of radio surgery is less than the amount that would be given in traditional radiation therapy. The tumor that is being treated is given a much higher one time dose in radiation surgery whereas radiation therapy offers smaller doses more often.

The lower does in radiation therapy is important because of the number of times the healthy tissue surrounding the cancerous tumor is exposed to.  The side effects of too much radiation exposure on healthy cells can be permanent and incredibly dangerous.  Lower dose radiation therapy can result in poorer outcomes due to lower tumor control than what is seen in the higher single dose given during radio surgery.

More often than not the technology used in LINAC machines is best utilized in sessions over a period of time.  This is done to allow as little damage as possible to occur to the healthy tissues.  In between treatments the healthy tissue is allowed to heal and repair itself while the cancerous tumor shrinks and essentially dies.  The amount of radiation given over time may be more than that of radio surgery with this technique.  Is important to note that only your oncologist can say which treatment option is better for you cancer and unique situation.

Acceletronics delivers the best equipment performance and service reliability from Linear Accelerators and CT Scanners across all major brands and models.  Our qualified oncology equipment specialists provide a quality customer experience across the USA with timely field maintenance.  We sell, repair, refurbish, move and finance oncology medical systems check out more at http://www.acceletronics.com.

Using a LINAC Equipment For Radiation Treatment

A linear accelerator is used in medical facilities to deliver radiation therapy to patients going through cancer treatment.  The LINAC system zeros in on a patient’s tumor to distribute high energy x-ray beams directly.  This type of treatment is designed to destroy the cancerous tumor while keeping the healthy tissue surrounding the tumor in the best possible condition.

Linear accelerators are used remedy cancer in numerous locations throughout the body.  There are a number of options in delivery of radiation using LINAC systems such as conventional techniques, Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy, Image Guided Radiation Therapy, Stereotactic Radio Surgery and Stereotactic Body Radio Therapy.

2 dimensional planning is done through imaging that is flat.  The tumor is centered and a rectangle is drawn where the imaging is to be concentrated.  With 3 dimensional planning the tumor is shown as a real time image.  The tumors can be treated more precisely than in 2 dimensional imaging because of the perspective that is given between the cancerous tumor and healthy organs.  This means that treatment can be given without too much toxicity to the healthy tissues surrounding the tumor.  Multi-leaf collimators are thin computerized blocks that attach directly to the LINAC system head and are used to shape the radiation beams to the geometric shape of the tumor.

A linear accelerator works without radioactive isotopes.  The LINAC system uses a combination of x-rays and radiation.  The benefit of linear accelerators is that radiation is only on when the machine is on.  This creates a much safer method of delivering radiation especially to the technicians in charge of delivery.

Another benefit that comes along with radiation treatment delivered using linear accelerator equipment is the speed at which treatment can be given.  More and more patients are requiring radiation therapy.  When using a LINAC machine radiation treatment time decreases to around five minutes from other standard treatment methods that take upwards of forty to fifty minutes.  The speed is not only beneficial to the medical facility as they can offer more treatments per day but also for the convenience of the patient.

Linear accelerators are a necessary piece of equipment for medical facilitates looking to improve efficiency, safety and quality of care.  LINAC systems deliver radiation that is used in treating a variety of cancers from brain cancer to prostate cancer.  With the precise techniques that radiation oncologists perform the treatment of cancer has become more successful.

Acceletronics delivers the best equipment performance and service reliability from Linear Accelerators and CT Scanners across all major brands and models.  Our qualified oncology equipment specialists provide a quality customer experience across the USA with timely field maintenance.  We sell, repair, refurbish, move and finance oncology medical systems check out more at http://www.acceletronics.com.

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