 What About Parking?
Free parking is available for patients currently undergoing radiation treatment at selected parking facilities.
- Valet parking located at the main entrance of the hospital
- The outdoor parking lot located adjacent to the Feinstein Building at Race and Broad Streets
- The high rise parking lot located on the other side of Vine Street from the hospital at Broad and Vine Back to top
What should I expect during my first radiation treatment? How long are the treatments?
You will lie down on the treatment table in the same position as your initial set-up. The therapists will be there the whole time. When everything is perfect, you will get your treatment. The therapists will leave the room and you will hear the machine go on but you will feel nothing. The treatment lasts a matter of minutes. The therapists will give you a daily appointment and this will be your set appointment. Please call the machine if you cannot make that appointment. Periodically during the treatment there may be adjustments made to the field as part of the treatment plan. Additional films may be necessary. Back to top
 What should I expect during my consultation appointment?
At your consultation you will meet with the nurse first to obtain basic information about your health status. This will be followed by a meeting with the resident and attending physician for a history and physical exam. Any reports and films will be reviewed at this time. It is suggested that x-rays, pathology reports and slides as well as operative reports be brought at this time so that your evaluation is complete. After the exam, the doctor will review your treatment options and discuss side-effects of treatment. After meeting with the physician, the nurse will meet with you again to address any further questions and tell you about our educational materials and support groups. She will help in scheduling any further appointments for you. This appointment takes about 2 hours. Make sure you ask questions or write them down to ask the doctor at a later time.
If it is decided that you need radiation treatment, your medical oncologist, surgeon and primary doctor will be called by the radiation oncologist to discuss your case. A preliminary report will be issued to the referring doctor within 24 hours followed by a comprehensive report. You will be given a treatment planning appointment as the next step. Back to top
What is treatment planning?
This is an appointment given when two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) treatment is necessary. This is the time when the treatment is mapped out with special marks placed on your skin and a positioning device used to make sure you hold still during the treatment. A 3D treatment plan will involve a CAT scan in radiology for localization of the treatment area and normal organs to avoid. The radiation oncologist works with the dosimetrist and the physicist to work out the best treatment plan for you so as to get the highest amount of radiation where needed yet sparing the normal organs as much as possible to decrease the side effects.
This appointment lasts about 1 ½-2 hours. You do not need to wear anything special or take any medications that are not your routine. When this appointment is complete you will be given another appointment to resume the planning.
This next appointment may be the next day or the following week depending on your schedule and on the complexity of the treatment plan. The second appointment is for setting the plan up on you and taking documentation films. Please allot about 2 hours for this appointment although it doesn’t usually take that long. It is at this time that it will be determined if specialized blocking is necessary. The next appointment is given and at this time you will be on the treatment machine where one final time everything is checked for accuracy. Films are taken to check the position and any blocking devices. If it is perfect you will get a treatment that day. Back to top
 Who is part of my radiation oncology team?
Your attending physician is in charge but in addition you have the resident, nurse, dosimetrist, physicist and therapists. There are people involved in your treatment that you may never meet but are also critical in your care. All of these people are necessary in the accuracy of your treatment with double and triple checking the treatment. Back to top
 Do you have any support groups or literature I can read?
Our nurse can give you literature and information on support groups, nutritional counseling, and pamphlets on side-effects. We work very closely with the American Cancer Society and The Wellness Community so that we are made aware of upcoming lecture series. We can refer you to the appropriate health professional to take care of your needs. Stay tuned to our website for all that information as well. Back to top
Will I get sick from the radiation and won’t be able to travel?
In most instances radiation will not make you sick and you will be able to travel in for your treatments by yourself. Radiation is limited to the treatment area so if your breast is being treated you will not be nauseated, if your lung is being treated you will not have diarrhea. It is very site specific. Your doctor will go over all this at your consultation and then weekly under treatment. Back to top
How does the radiation work and how many weeks of treatment? Why does it have to be daily?
The radiation is given daily over anywhere from 2-7 weeks depending on the clinical situation. The radiation is best given without any treatment breaks except for the weekends and holidays. If an appointment must be missed that day is made up at the end. We suggest no vacations during radiation treatment.
Radiation uses x-rays or electrons to damage and destroy the cancer cells. All cancer cells grow and divide but some grow more quickly than others. Radiation therapy uses special equipment and techniques to deliver high doses so the cells are damaged and cannot grow. Sometimes normal tissues can also be affected by radiation but most normal cells can recover from the effects of the treatment. It must be remembered that radiation is not like chemotherapy. Radiation affects the tumor and the surrounding tissue whereas chemotherapy is systemic and exposes the entire body. Back to top
 Do I need to use any special lotions to take care of my skin?
We ask that you be gentle with your skin and use no harsh soaps or deodorants. Please show your doctor any lotions you are using on the treatment area. We will provide and give you a prescription for a special cream to use during the treatment. The nurse will review all skin care instructions. Back to top
After my treatments are complete will I see my radiation oncologist again?
After the treatments are completed you will see the radiation oncologist 1-2 months after treatment and every 6 months thereafter. This schedule may vary depending on the situation. Back to top
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