Radiation Therapy 

Why It's Done

Radiation therapy is used to destroy cancer cells and slow the growth of a tumor without harming nearby healthy tissue. While often a part of treating cancer, in some occasions radiation therapy can effectively treat the disease on its own. More than half of all people battling cancer receive a form of radiation therapy as part of their treatment. 

Your radiation oncologist, through the use of diagnostic imaging, will determine when to use radiation to maximize its effect. Radiation treatments may take place as the primary treatment for cancer, before surgery, after surgery, or in conjunction with other treatments. 
 

How to Prepare

Your cancer care team will guide you through a consultation and planning process, keeping you in the loop on your personalized plan of care. We partner with the Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center in nearby Waterbury to provide treatment planning, using software that calculates the position, dose and frequency of the treatment. Before treatment commences the treatment will be simulated to ensure the correct treatment will be delivered later.

All treatments take place at Bristol Hospital.
 

What to Expect

The most common form of radiation therapy, External Beam Radiation Therapy, is conducted by a matching that sends high-energy beams into to the targeted location, hitting it at different angles. You will typically receive treatment 5 days per week for a period of time determined by your radiation oncologist. 

Our team stays closed during treatment to assure your comfort and provide updates on the treatment. 

Each treatment typically last 30 minutes or less