No. Neither you nor your clothing will become radioactive, and it’s perfectly safe for you to be around your family and loved ones.

Generally, radioactive substances aren’t used for treatment. There are some exceptions, like brachytherapy, a procedure where a radiation source is placed inside the body, and Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery.

For all other types of radiation therapy, radiation is generated by the machine and stops as soon as your session ends.

Normal cells have robust DNA repair mechanisms from exposure to environmental radiation. Cancer cells focus their energy on dividing and are less capable of repairing DNA damage from radiation, making them more susceptible.

Most patients receive radiation therapy 5 days a week, typically Monday-Friday. Taking weekends off helps give your body time to rest and recover.

While most radiation courses last 2-8 weeks, some conditions may require only a single session. Your doctor and care team will discuss the plan that best fits your specific situation.

During radiation therapy, you’ll be on a treatment table for about 15 minutes. The actual radiation dose takes about 2-3 minutes; the remaining time is spent making sure everything is set up safely and aligned precisely. Some appointments may take longer but are usually still within a 12-15 minute timeframe.

Once you’ve completed the treatment course, we typically wait 1-2 months before doing any follow-up scans. Radiation works by damaging the DNA of cancer cells, causing them to die when they attempt to divide. Because of this process, it takes some time before the changes will show up on a scan.

If you notice any new symptoms or if there are any concerns about how things are going, your doctor may order scans sooner. Your care team is available for any questions you may have throughout and following your radiation therapy.

Radiation therapists, supervised by your radiation oncologist, will deliver your treatments. These are state-licensed professionals who are specially trained to administer radiation therapy. By law, your doctor can’t operate the radiation machine for treatment, but they will oversee your care every step of the way.

Radiation therapists will be monitoring you through a camera and intercom system during your treatment session. They won’t be in the treatment room with you due to radiation exposure risk, but they can hear and see you the entire time. You’ll be shown how to signal for assistance if treatment needs to be stopped.

You’ll meet with your radiation oncologist at least once per week, usually for a short visit following treatment, without needing to book a separate appointment.

No. Lead aprons don’t provide protection from the type of radiation used in external beam radiation therapy and could even increase the dose of treatment to your skin. The machines used in treatment are more powerful than dental X-ray machines, and this kind of radiation can penetrate through heavy lead shielding.

Your care team carefully designs your treatment plan to limit exposure to healthy tissue as much as possible. For most patients, the overall risk of developing a new cancer from radiation therapy is very low – typically under 1%.

Side effects depend on the treatment site and are usually limited to the treatment area. Most patients experience mild to moderate fatigue, which often improves 4-6 weeks after treatment ends.

Skin reactions may include redness, itching and dry peeling. Radiation burns are uncommon, occurring in less than 15% of patients. Your doctor will review specific side effects based on your treatment plan.

Radiation treatments don’t typically cause pain – you won’t feel the radiation itself. The treatment table may be hard and uncomfortable if laying still on It for a long time. If you do experience pain during radiation therapy, treatment can be paused while your medical team and radiation therapists evaluate and adjust as needed.

Simulation is one of your first appointments for radiation therapy, it helps determine the exact position you’ll be in for treatment and provides the imaging your care team needs to create your treatment plan.

During simulation, you’ll have a CT scan that uses a low dose radiation and usually doesn’t require a contrast dye. This scan is necessary because your position for radiation therapy is different than a position used for diagnostic imaging. The radiation oncologist will be help guide the process and ensure your positioning and setup is accurate for treatment sessions.

Routine blood work is not typically needed when you’re going through radiation therapy. Radiation can inhibit bone marrow function, which may lower blood cell counts if a significant amount of bone marrow is in the radiation field or treatment area.

Your oncologist will monitor your blood count if necessary.

Most prescription medications and supplements don’t interact with radiation therapy.

Chemotherapy is an exception; your oncologist will coordinate with your chemotherapy doctor if both are administered.

You’ll be asked to provide a complete list of medications and supplements to your care team and notify them of any changes during treatment.

There are several online resources that offer comprehensive and easy-to-understand information, including:

• American Cancer Society
• The American Society of Clinical Oncology
• The American Society for Radiation Oncology’s Radiation Therapy (RT) Answers
• The National Cancer Institute

Your radiation oncologist and care team are also available to answer any questions you have.