Radiation Oncology

Services

At Mayo Clinic, radiation oncologists work with doctors in other specialties to design a treatment plan that is best for you. In procedures that involve radiation, specialists carefully monitor doses to avoid the risk of radiation overexposure.

Treatment may combine radiation with surgery and chemotherapy. Mayo Clinic offers state-of-the-art radiation therapy, which may include:

• Brachytherapy. Also called internal radiation therapy, brachytherapy (brak-e-THER-uh-pee) involves using radioactive implants (such as seeds) to deliver localized radiation in or near a tumor to help destroy the cancer. For example, in permanent prostate brachytherapy, doctors implant small radioactive seeds near cancerous tissue in the prostate. To kill cancer cells, the seeds are left in place permanently to give off a low dose of radiation that is used up over several weeks or months. In temporary implants, the radioactive seeds are placed into the tumor for just a few minutes. This treatment (high dose rate brachytherapy) is typically repeated a number of times over a few days.
• Three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3-D CRT). In this type of treatment, a computer is used to create a 3-D picture of the tumor to conform or match the radiation beam to the shape of the tumor. Many radiation beams are aimed at the tumor from different angles, sparing normal tissue as much as possible.
• Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). IMRT is an advanced type of three-dimensional radiation that conforms to the shape of a tumor. With IMRT, not only are beams aimed at the tumor from several directions, the intensity or strength of the beams can be adjusted to minimize the amount of radiation that reaches normal tissue.
• Intensity modulated arc therapy (IMAT) or Volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). IMAT or VMAT is an advanced type of IMRT that uses arcs of radiation therapy rather than individual beams. This shortens the time for each treatment.
• Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT). IGRT planning begins with a computerized tomography (CT) scan and sometimes other imaging scans to help precisely direct the radiation beams to the targeted tumor tissue. The target is imaged each day before treatment to verify the correct position of the patient, target and radiation beams.
• Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT). During the surgical procedure, after the tumor is removed, IORT delivers a concentrated beam of radiation to the tumor site while sparing normal surrounding tissue.
• Stereotactic radiosurgery or radiotherapy. Stereotactic radiosurgery or radiotherapy uses precisely focused radiation beams to treat tumors and other abnormal growths in the brain, spine, liver, lung or other sites. Computers create 3-D images to guide doctors in delivering radiation to the target area with minimal exposure to nearby healthy tissue. Mayo Clinic's Minnesota campus uses Gamma Knife radiosurgery for treating tumors in the brain. All Mayo Clinic campuses use linear accelerator (LINAC) treatment for lesions and tumors in various areas in the body.

Comprehensive care team

Mayo Clinic offers a coordinated program that includes consultation with the radiation oncologist, treatment planning and delivery, patient education, and ongoing follow-up visits. Your radiation oncologist evaluates you, prescribes the radiation treatment, directs the treatment team, monitors your progress, and manages any treatment side effects. The radiation oncologist may also be involved in follow-up care after treatment is completed.

Working together to deliver compassionate, appropriate care for your cancer, your treatment team may include:

• Physicists who measure the radiation beams and provide data used to plan treatment, verify dose calculations, and perform quality assurance measures
• Dosimetrists who use a computerized system to plan the best way to deliver radiation to the target while minimizing the dose to nearby healthy tissues
• Radiation therapists who give the radiation treatments prescribed by the doctor
• Nurse practitioners who assist in treatment management, coordinating your treatment and follow-up care
• Other nurses who assist in your care and address questions and concerns you may have during treatment

Read more about radiation therapy at MayoClinic.com.