Radiation Oncology

Radiation Oncology is the medical specialty that uses high-energy radiation (radiotherapy) to treat cancer and some non-cancerous conditions. Radiation oncologists plan and deliver radiation treatments to destroy or control tumours while trying to protect the surrounding healthy tissues as much as possible. What they do: Radiation oncologists assess patients with cancer along with other specialists, decide whether radiotherapy is needed before or after surgery or with chemotherapy, plan the exact area and dose of radiation using CT or MRI-based planning, supervise daily treatment sessions and monitor side effects, and provide long-term follow-up after radiotherapy. Common conditions treated: cancers of the head and neck, breast, lung, cervix and uterus, prostate and bladder, brain and spinal cord, gastrointestinal tract and rectum, lymphomas and some blood-related cancers, certain benign conditions such as keloids or some painful bone lesions in selected cases When to visit: when you are diagnosed with cancer and your surgeon, medical oncologist or other specialist refers you for radiotherapy opinion, after surgery when the team recommends radiation to reduce the risk of cancer coming back, before surgery in some cancers to shrink the tumour, when radiotherapy is advised as the main treatment instead of surgery, or for palliative treatment to reduce pain, bleeding or other symptoms in advanced cancer. Treatment methods: detailed cancer history and examination, review of biopsy, imaging and staging reports, CT simulation and radiation planning to define the exact treatment area, external beam radiotherapy using linear accelerators and other machines, sometimes brachytherapy where radiation sources are placed close to or inside the tumour, combined treatment with chemotherapy or targeted therapy when indicated, regular monitoring and management of side effects such as skin reactions, mouth ulcers or fatigue, long-term follow-up to assess tumour control and late side effects, working closely within a multidisciplinary cancer care team