Radiotherapy - What is it Like From a Patient"s Perspective?
Radiotherapy is used to treat 60% of all Cancers.
This article is a non-technical insight into what treatment is like, from a patient's perspective.
Radiation therapy, to give it its full name, has been used in the treatment and control of Cancer for many years, with it's origins dating back to discoveries made in the early 1900's.
Technological advances made in recent years have made it safer and more effective than ever before and with early diagnosis more patients are now able to make a full and complete recovery following treatment by radiation therapy.
There are actually several different methods of radiotherapy and your oncologist will have chosen the most appropriate for the type and location of your Cancer.
For the purposes of this article, I'm going to deal with the most common - external beam radiotherapy as a curative measure.
First of all, there are three things to remember: 1.
We are all human, we all fear the unknown and that's natural but it's important to stay focused on the positive and the fact that your treatment is going to help you.
2.
External beam radiotherapy is painless - you won't feel anything during the treatment, although you may experience some discomfort or side effects as your sessions continue (I'll outline this in more detail later).
3.
Although this form of treatment involves radiation, it is delivered in a tightly focused beam, in a controlled environment by highly trained staff.
The radiation is being used to kill the tumour and that's got to be a good thing.
Before We Begin Before treatment can begin your medical team will have thoroughly discussed your case, your particular form of Cancer and they will have undertaken scans of the area to determine the size and shape of the tumour to be treated.
A senior oncologist will have decided a suitable dose and this will have been broken down into what are called 'Fractions', or parts of the overall dose that you will receive over the course of your treatment.
The length of the course and the number of sessions will vary from case to case, depending partly on the overall dose and partly on where in the body the tumour is located.
Typically the course will take place 4 to 5 days a week, over a period of 5 to 7 weeks.
This is necessary so the Cancer cells can be damaged on a consistent basis, whilst giving the healthy cells enough chance to recover during off-days and weekends.
X Marks the Spot Modern radiotherapy can deliver very precise doses of radiation in a very localised way but in order to achieve the best results it's important that the patient can remain still and in the same position on each successive day, throughout the course of their treatment.
To achieve this you may be fitted for a mask (for head or neck treatment) or have small reference marks made on your body to ensure the staff can position you correctly.
Usually this will involve a CT scan to precisely locate the tumour but this is quite straight forwards and again is nothing to worry about.
Day One Prior to the first treatment, a member of medical staff will have discussed some of the do's and don'ts with you.
These normally revolve around not using deodorant, scents or scented soap in the area to be treated and taking care of the skin.
When you arrive for your first session, try to arrive in good time.
You will probably find several other patients in the waiting room and although conversation can be difficult to begin, there is much to be gained by talking with other patients - some of whom may be attending hospital at the same time as your for several weeks to come; You may even be able to collectively share your experience or offer reassurance to each other.
When it is your turn, you will be shown into the treatment room and asked to lie on the table (usually beneath the machine), whilst the staff position you correctly.
Once this is done the staff will leave the room, although there is normally a camera and intercom with which they can communicate with you during the session.
You will hear the machine moving into position.
Try to remain completely still - you will find that the treatment only lasts for a few minutes and it often takes longer for the staff to set up the table than it does for the machine to do its work.
The machine may then move to a second position, so as to treat the tumour from several angles - again try to remain still, it won't be long now and your first session will be over.
Once this is complete, the staff will return and move the table back into to its starting position.
You may feel a little disoriented by the movement of the table, so wait for the staff to tell you if you can get off and take a moment to gather yourself first.
One of the radiotherapists will sign your appointment card and your first session will be over.
Moving Onwards Over the coming days & weeks you'll become used to the sessions and start to get into a routine.
You will also get to know some of the staff and your fellow patients, who can help make the daily journey a little less onerous.
You will have to report for check-ups during your treatment and will be asked how you are feeling and whether you are experiencing any side effects.
Side Effects Whether you experience any side effects will depend on a number of factors, some clinical and some personal including your age, general level of fitness and mental attitude regarding the whole situation, which can have a marked effect on how good or bad you feel.
Side effects basically fall into two sorts - short term and long term.
The short term effects are usually cumulative i.
e.
they become more pronounced towards the end of the course.
You will probably find that you feel tired and lethargic and that the skin surrounding the treatment site becomes tender and slightly red - this is to be expected.
You may find that your appetite changes or in the case of treatment of the mouth/throat that you have a strange taste in your mouth or a dry & sore throat.
Usually these symptoms will disappear soon after the treatments are over but during your treatment the medical staff will help you deal with them and make you feel more comfortable.
Try to get plenty of rest, eat sensibly - choose healthy foods and consider the possibility of taking a vitamin supplement or tonic (once you have cleared it with your clinician) as boosting your immune system can really help.
Certain effects can be more long lasting and you may find for instance that in the future the skin around the site will be more prone to sunburn, or that the hair in that area is thin or doesn't grow at all.
Some effects are specific to the area being treated, such as dry eyes which are caused by a change in the tear glands or a deepening of the voice, which can be caused by damage to the larynx but the important thing to remember is that whilst these symptoms may be long term, they are certainly preferable to the alternative.
Finally, some people are naturally worried that there might be a risk of Cancer from radiation but thanks to the advances in modern medicine and the fact that treatment is broken down into parts that the body can tolerate, the risk of subsequent Cancer is very small.
Post Treatment In the first few weeks and months following treatment, your body will still be recovering from the radiation and rebuilding itself.
It can be a good idea to use a quality moisturiser on the skin surrounding the treatment area - don't forget to moisturise the front & back of your body, where the beam passes through.
Drink plenty of water, eat well and if you are able, get some gentle exercise.
Rediscover your sense of humour, laugh as often as you can and begin to enjoy life again.
Remember, tomorrow is a new day - grab it with both hands and make the most of it.
I wish you well.
This article is a non-technical insight into what treatment is like, from a patient's perspective.
Radiation therapy, to give it its full name, has been used in the treatment and control of Cancer for many years, with it's origins dating back to discoveries made in the early 1900's.
Technological advances made in recent years have made it safer and more effective than ever before and with early diagnosis more patients are now able to make a full and complete recovery following treatment by radiation therapy.
There are actually several different methods of radiotherapy and your oncologist will have chosen the most appropriate for the type and location of your Cancer.
For the purposes of this article, I'm going to deal with the most common - external beam radiotherapy as a curative measure.
First of all, there are three things to remember: 1.
We are all human, we all fear the unknown and that's natural but it's important to stay focused on the positive and the fact that your treatment is going to help you.
2.
External beam radiotherapy is painless - you won't feel anything during the treatment, although you may experience some discomfort or side effects as your sessions continue (I'll outline this in more detail later).
3.
Although this form of treatment involves radiation, it is delivered in a tightly focused beam, in a controlled environment by highly trained staff.
The radiation is being used to kill the tumour and that's got to be a good thing.
Before We Begin Before treatment can begin your medical team will have thoroughly discussed your case, your particular form of Cancer and they will have undertaken scans of the area to determine the size and shape of the tumour to be treated.
A senior oncologist will have decided a suitable dose and this will have been broken down into what are called 'Fractions', or parts of the overall dose that you will receive over the course of your treatment.
The length of the course and the number of sessions will vary from case to case, depending partly on the overall dose and partly on where in the body the tumour is located.
Typically the course will take place 4 to 5 days a week, over a period of 5 to 7 weeks.
This is necessary so the Cancer cells can be damaged on a consistent basis, whilst giving the healthy cells enough chance to recover during off-days and weekends.
X Marks the Spot Modern radiotherapy can deliver very precise doses of radiation in a very localised way but in order to achieve the best results it's important that the patient can remain still and in the same position on each successive day, throughout the course of their treatment.
To achieve this you may be fitted for a mask (for head or neck treatment) or have small reference marks made on your body to ensure the staff can position you correctly.
Usually this will involve a CT scan to precisely locate the tumour but this is quite straight forwards and again is nothing to worry about.
Day One Prior to the first treatment, a member of medical staff will have discussed some of the do's and don'ts with you.
These normally revolve around not using deodorant, scents or scented soap in the area to be treated and taking care of the skin.
When you arrive for your first session, try to arrive in good time.
You will probably find several other patients in the waiting room and although conversation can be difficult to begin, there is much to be gained by talking with other patients - some of whom may be attending hospital at the same time as your for several weeks to come; You may even be able to collectively share your experience or offer reassurance to each other.
When it is your turn, you will be shown into the treatment room and asked to lie on the table (usually beneath the machine), whilst the staff position you correctly.
Once this is done the staff will leave the room, although there is normally a camera and intercom with which they can communicate with you during the session.
You will hear the machine moving into position.
Try to remain completely still - you will find that the treatment only lasts for a few minutes and it often takes longer for the staff to set up the table than it does for the machine to do its work.
The machine may then move to a second position, so as to treat the tumour from several angles - again try to remain still, it won't be long now and your first session will be over.
Once this is complete, the staff will return and move the table back into to its starting position.
You may feel a little disoriented by the movement of the table, so wait for the staff to tell you if you can get off and take a moment to gather yourself first.
One of the radiotherapists will sign your appointment card and your first session will be over.
Moving Onwards Over the coming days & weeks you'll become used to the sessions and start to get into a routine.
You will also get to know some of the staff and your fellow patients, who can help make the daily journey a little less onerous.
You will have to report for check-ups during your treatment and will be asked how you are feeling and whether you are experiencing any side effects.
Side Effects Whether you experience any side effects will depend on a number of factors, some clinical and some personal including your age, general level of fitness and mental attitude regarding the whole situation, which can have a marked effect on how good or bad you feel.
Side effects basically fall into two sorts - short term and long term.
The short term effects are usually cumulative i.
e.
they become more pronounced towards the end of the course.
You will probably find that you feel tired and lethargic and that the skin surrounding the treatment site becomes tender and slightly red - this is to be expected.
You may find that your appetite changes or in the case of treatment of the mouth/throat that you have a strange taste in your mouth or a dry & sore throat.
Usually these symptoms will disappear soon after the treatments are over but during your treatment the medical staff will help you deal with them and make you feel more comfortable.
Try to get plenty of rest, eat sensibly - choose healthy foods and consider the possibility of taking a vitamin supplement or tonic (once you have cleared it with your clinician) as boosting your immune system can really help.
Certain effects can be more long lasting and you may find for instance that in the future the skin around the site will be more prone to sunburn, or that the hair in that area is thin or doesn't grow at all.
Some effects are specific to the area being treated, such as dry eyes which are caused by a change in the tear glands or a deepening of the voice, which can be caused by damage to the larynx but the important thing to remember is that whilst these symptoms may be long term, they are certainly preferable to the alternative.
Finally, some people are naturally worried that there might be a risk of Cancer from radiation but thanks to the advances in modern medicine and the fact that treatment is broken down into parts that the body can tolerate, the risk of subsequent Cancer is very small.
Post Treatment In the first few weeks and months following treatment, your body will still be recovering from the radiation and rebuilding itself.
It can be a good idea to use a quality moisturiser on the skin surrounding the treatment area - don't forget to moisturise the front & back of your body, where the beam passes through.
Drink plenty of water, eat well and if you are able, get some gentle exercise.
Rediscover your sense of humour, laugh as often as you can and begin to enjoy life again.
Remember, tomorrow is a new day - grab it with both hands and make the most of it.
I wish you well.