Radiation Therapy

 

Radiation therapy is one of the most common treatments for cancer and often used in conjunction with other treatments depending on the type and stage of the cancer. Radiation delivers high-energy waves to damage or destroy cancerous cells and shrink tumors by making small breaks inside the cancer cell’s DNA. This keeps the cancer from dividing, spreading and growing. Unlike chemotherapy, which exposes the whole body to cancer-fighting drugs, radiation is local and less invasive.

Experts in radiation oncology at Watson Clinic’s Cancer & Research Center are specially trained in performing radiation treatment.

Radiation therapy relies immensely on break-through technologies and advanced equipment including image guided radiation therapy, intensity modulated radiation therapy, high and low dose rate brachytherapy, PET (Positron Emission Tomography), CT (Computed Tomography) and more. Our center also uses Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT), which distributes high doses of radiation to smaller tumors in specific areas such as the lung and spinal column. SBRT conserves normal tissue while vigorously repressing tumor growth.

For women with breast cancer, our radiation treatment suite provides bracytherapy, also known as internal radiation treatment using the AccuBoost system, a non-invasive radiotherapy treatment. Cervical cancer patients are also treated in the suite with high-dose radiation treatments.

 

For men undergoing treatment for Prostate Cancer, board-certified Radiation Oncologist Dr. David Graham proudly offers SpaceOAR Hydrogel, a specially designed spacer that helps to reduce the radiation dose delivered to the rectum during prostate cancer radiation treatments. As a result, cancer cells are destroyed while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue. 

Watson Clinic Cancer & Research Center added a new TrueBeam™ linear accelerator to their fleet of cancer-fighting equipment in the radiation therapy department.

 

Radiation therapy is often used for the following conditions:

• Bone Cancer
  
• Brain Tumors
  
• Breast Cancer
  
• Carcinoma
  
• Cervical Cancer
  
• Colorectal Cancer
  
• Head and Neck
  
• Kidney Cancer / Wilms Tumor
  
• Larynx
  
• Leukemia
  
• Lung Cancer
  
• Hodgkin Disease and Lymphoma
  
• Melanoma
  
• Neuroblastoma
  
• Ovarian Cancer
  
• Prostate Cancer
  
• Rhabdomyosarcoma
  
• Sarcoma
  
• Skin and Lip
  
• Throat
  
• Uterine Cancer