SEATTLE — Radiation is a crucial part of treatment for many types of cancer. In fact, it is used in more than half of all cancer cases.
“Most people are familiar with surgery,” said Dr. Nicholas Serrano, radiation oncologist at the Overlake Cancer Center. “Some people are familiar with chemotherapy, but radiation is a uniquely different way of targeting and treating cancer cells and tumor cells.”
Radiation therapy uses powerful, targeted high energy X-rays to destroy cancer cells. It may be combined with surgery and/or chemotherapy and other therapies, or it could be your only treatment.
External beam radiation is the most common type of radiation therapy. It precisely targets cancer cells while minimizing damage to the surrounding area. There are various types of external beam radiation, including 3D Conformal, where the radiation oncologist shapes the radiation beam to match the shape of the tumor, and Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), which can accurately target the tumor and minimize radiation outside of the target.
Radiation is typically a daily treatment that can last one week to up to eight or nine weeks. The exact treatment plan will depend on the type of cancer.
“It is a more involved treatment where patients are actually coming to our center on a daily basis, but we’re really trying to use a low dose to help damage the tumor, help kill the tumor but kind of spare side effects and minimize side effects,” Dr. Serrano said.
Overlake’s new CT Sim machine means less time on the table for patients and better imaging, which helps the physician and the radiation oncology staff deliver more precise treatment. Radiation then allows for focused and localized treatment, as compared to chemotherapy.
“The biggest thing I always tell patients is chemotherapy is typically given through an IV,” Dr. Serrano said. “The medication is designed to go through the bloodstream, target everywhere in the body, but the goal is to try to obviously kill off the cancer cells.”
To get more information about radiation oncology services and treatments, visit the Overlake website.
Sponsored by Overlake Medical Center and Clinics.
Segment Producer Joseph Suttner. Watch New Day Northwest 11 a.m. weekdays on KING 5 and streaming live on KING5.com. Contact New Day.