Radiation oncology

The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Gastrointestinal Cancers Resource Panel issued the following statement today regarding the “The PROSPECT trial was designed to see if the standard treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer — pre-operative radiation therapy combined with low-dose chemotherapy — could be selectively replaced by more aggressive chemotherapy, known as FOLFOX, without radiation for patients who had a good initial response to chemotherapy. The assumption was that if chemotherapy alone was equally effective at treating the cancer, radiation therapy could be omitted. Patients in the trial were carefully monitored for treatment-related side effects and overall quality of life, in addition to cancer-related outcomes such as disease-free survival and length of time without cancer recurrence. The trial demonstrated that cancer-related outcomes were very similar between the two study groups, but contrary to many news reports, the conclusion was not that radiation therapy should be omitted. Why? In this study, the rate of significant While the trial did not explicitly conclude that radiation therapy should be omitted, it did confirm that patients now have an additional option of FOLFOX instead of chemoradiotherapy, depending on which toxicity profile they perceive as least disruptive. In the trial, patients’ overall quality of life measurements were very similar with either treatment. It is also worth noting that the trial was deliberately limited t...

Request a Cancer Appointment For questions, or to speak with someone directly, please call: Newly Diagnosed Introductory Session Schedule a 15-minute introductory virtual session with a cancer expert at no cost to you. To request an Express Expert Cancer Opinion, call New Patient Appointments To request an in-person or video visit appointment, please use our secure online form: Existing Patients Returning patients may also use MyChart to request an in-person or video visit appointment. Contact Us • The University of Chicago Medicine is home to one of the most experienced and well-respected radiation oncology teams in the country. Working together, our doctors, physicists and therapists design and deliver the most effective treatments available. We are proud that our patient outcomes are on par withthe most well-known cancer centers in the country. At UChicago Medicine, our patients benefit from: Renowned Radiation Oncologists & Physicists Our team has helped develop the latest, mosteffectivetechnology and is regularly tapped to teach other facilities' physicians how to use it. This same team is actively conducting research for new and better ways to use radiation therapy to treat cancer. A Technological Edge Our radiation therapy team frequently collaborates with leading manufacturers of radiation therapy equipment on research and development. As a result, we have early access to advanced radiation technology. More than two decades ago, our doctors pioneered the use of int...

Mission The Medical College of Georgia Department of Radiation Oncology is devoted to providing superior patient care in an atmosphere of compassion and professionalism. It is our goal to provide accurate and precise radiation therapy treatment in an effective and compassionate manner doing our best to maintain our patient's dignity and self-respect. We are committed to fostering a safe, professional and caring environment for our patient, their families and our co-workers. Vision As part of the Georgia Cancer Center, the AU Department of Radiation Oncology is committed to become a leader in academic radiation therapy; recognized for exceptional clinical care and clinical trials, research in cancer biology and medical physics, and educating future health care providers. We strive to be part of improving Radiation Therapy in terms of treatment delivery and outcomes, speed for convenience to patients and their families, and cost of healthcare. Better imaging for better health

If you have Your doctor will decide if it's right for you based on the type and stage of your cancer, plus other health conditions you have. Your Radiation Oncology Team Many doctors and health experts are part of a cancer care team. For radiation therapy, your main doctor is a radiation oncologist. They specialize in radiation oncology and lead a group of medical professionals that can include: Radiation therapy nurse. A registered nurse who can help educate you about treatment. They can also help you manage side effects. Radiation therapist. A person trained to work the devices that give radiation therapy. Dosimetrist. Someone who arranges the right dose of radiation therapy for you. Medical physicist: A person who uses their physics knowledge for radiation treatments, devices, and technology. They may help plan your radiation therapy and make sure the equipment is safe and works right. How Radiation Therapy Works Radiation therapy damages the genetic material of cancer cells to kill them or slow their growth. More than half of people with cancer get it. Your doctor may suggest one of these types of radiation therapy: External beam radiation therapy. A machine outside your body aims radiation where your cancer is. The device can move around you to point the radiation at a precise part of your body from different directions. It won't touch you. You get external beam radiation therapy at a hospital or treatment center over many weeks. It doesn't make you radioactive, so it...