Patients who live in the Augusta area receive radiation treatment at the Augusta University Medical Center's Radiation Therapy Center. The Radiation Therapy Center is less than one mile from the Augusta University Cancer Center at 821 St. Sebastian Way. Go east on Walton Way when you leave the VA and turn right on St. Sebastian Way (just before you reach University Hospital). The Radiation Therapy Center will be on your right. For Medical questions, please contact the GHS Radiation Therapy Center at 706-721-2971 or toll free at 866-935-8946.
What is radiation therapy?
Radiation Therapy is a clinical specialty which utilizes very high energy X-rays,
gamma rays, electron beams, or other ionizing radiation to manage and treat many types
of cancer malignancies 9and occasionally some non-malignant conditions.) The radiation
is most often administered externally through the use of a linear accelerator, but
some types of diseases are better treated from the inside out through a process called
Brachytherapy. Brachytherapy involves the implantation or insertion of small radioactive
sources into tumor beds or areas. Radiation breaks apart the atoms that make up the
cell making them unable to reproduce. All cells that are exposed to radiation are
affected by this process, but normal healthy cells recover more quickly than malignant
cells.
What are the treatments like?
The treatment is normally about 15 minutes every weekday for a period of four to eight
weeks in most cases. These treatments require you to lie very still and in a reproducible
position every time, so the accuracy of the treatment can be maintained. The treatments
do no hurt and you can not feel anything while the radiation is being given.
Who else is involved in my care?
In addition to the radiation oncologist, there are specially trained radiation oncology
nurses who coordinate your care with the radiation oncologist. They can assist you
with your day to day concerns, medications, and referrals t other resources that will
meet your needs. Each day when you come for treatment, you will be treated by a registered
radiation therapist. These specially trained professionals will set you up on the
treatment table in the exact position which will optimize treatment. Because of the
nature of the high energy X-rays produced by the linear accelerator, the therapist
must leave the room while the treatment is actually being given, but you are monitored
the whole time with audio and visual devices. The radiation therapist will be a daily
contact point for whatever needs or questions you may have during the duration of
your treatment, and you will meet with your radiation oncologist at least once a week,
as well.
What is simulation?
After you and your physician have decided a course of radiation therapy can benefit
you, the first step is simulation. Simulation is the rehearsal for the actual treatments
and can take different forms depending on the disease site. The simulator is a machine
which emulates the geometric properties of the treatment accelerators, but takes only
regular X-rays for verification of the treatment area. For some patients, simulation
utilizing a CAT scanner is advised. Treatment planning is continued on computers by
trained Medical dosimetrists. The dosimetrist is responsible for planning the optimal
technique to treat each patient. Once the exact treatment area has been defined, very
small tattoos (no bigger than a freckle) will be placed at strategic points on the
skin to guarantee accuracy.
What happens when my treatments are over?
Patients may or may not experience any side effects of the radiation during their course of therapy. However, your radiation oncologist will carefully go over why you might expect and how to deal with any problems if they arise. The effects of the treatments may not be completely felt until the treatments have been finished for a time. Follow-up visits to the clinic will be planned when the therapy is completed.
