Your Guide to Radiation Therapy AT CORSICANA CANCER Center

Sixty percent of cancer patients receive Radiation Therapy, because it is a very effective way to treat and cure many forms of cancer. In some cases radiation is used alone and in other cases it is used in conjunction with chemotherapy, hormone therapy and/or surgery.

Before determining if you would benefit from radiation therapy, our oncologist reviews your medical reports, x-rays, pathology reports and lab work. If treatment is needed a radiation dose is prescribed. Our team at Corsicana Cancer Center will then design a radiation treatment plan specifically for you. 

The first step in designing your plan is to simulate your radiation treatment with a CT scanner. The CT scan gives us a three dimensional model of your body that allows us to see where the radiation is going. 

Next your oncologist will develop a unique plan designed to treat your illness based on your body measurements as determined by the simulation. They will decide the number, duration and frequency of radiation treatments you will need. Your medical physics team will determine the strength, depth and path of the beam based on your specific type of cancer, its location and your treatment plan. This process could take from 1 to 4 days depending on the complexity of your treatment. 

Once they are satisfied that your simulated plan will treat your form of cancer as powerfully and accurately as possible, we will bring you back in and begin the treatments. Sometimes we mark your skin with (semi) permanent ink to ensure accurate daily treatments.

When you come to Corsicana Cancer Center for your therapy, in most cases daily, it should take anywhere from 15-30 minutes to get your treatment based on your specific plan. Once you are finished each day you may go back to work or home and resume your normal schedule.