What to expect during radiation treatment

Once radiation therapy is decided upon, you will have a computed tomography (CT) simulation scan to help your care team plan treatment.

• You will lie in a CT scanner while detailed images map the treatment area; this scan does not deliver radiation treatment.

• You’ll need to lie in the same position for 30 to 45 minutes. Custom-made devices may be used to help keep you comfortable in the correct position.

• If you are receiving radiation to the brain, or head and neck area, a mask may be custom-made for you to use throughout treatment. The mask is made of plastic mesh that will help you stay still during treatment while allowing you to breathe, see and hear comfortably.

• Small permanent marks (“tattoos”) the size of freckles are placed on your skin to guide accurate treatment. If a mask is made for brain or head and neck treatment, marks are placed on this instead.

External beam radiation treatment starts a few days to a week after the CT simulation and is often administered in an outpatient setting. Your care team will monitor you closely throughout the course of care to help make you as comfortable as possible.

• Treatment is generally given once a day, five days a week, often at the same time each day.

• A daily session typically lasts between 10 and 30 minutes, though the first visit may take longer for setup.

• The total length of treatment varies, usually ranging from one to seven weeks.

• On the first day and once a week after, X-ray images or CT scans are often taken to confirm you are you are in the appropriate position for treatment and the radiation beams are correctly aligned.

• It is important to arrive on time and not miss appointments.

• You’ll need to lie still and breathe normally during treatment. Some tumors move with normal breathing. To help deliver radiation as accurately as possible, your care team may guide you through simple breathing techniques.

After radiation therapy ends, patients will continue with regular follow‑up visits. These appointments help your care team:

• monitor recovery

• watch for signs the cancer has returned

• manage ongoing or late side effects

Side effects vary by person and treatment. Your care team will work with you to reduce any discomfort you may experience.

Sharp offers a range of services to support your recovery such as nutrition counseling, support groups, integrative medicine and more.