Radiation Theraphy For Head And Neck Cancer
The first appointment with the oncologist is a query to take the history of your problem and do a physical exam. Typically at this time or shortly there after consultation with other team members head and neck, including head and neck surgeon, pathologist, radiologist and a dentist. It is important that the various members of the team that you have to take care to give their views before deciding the treatment plan and start it.
Once the patient has explained the recommended treatment and possible options, the patient and the medical team decide what treatment to use, and determining a date for radiotherapy treatment planning. (If it was decided that this approach is the first or next step of treatment). Then make a “simulation” with either current radiographs (X rays) or computed tomography (CT). These radiographic studies are used to plan the type and direction of radiation beams used to treat cancer. Within the treatment machine blocks of a lead alloy-made or a special collimator (multileaf collimator) conform radiation beams to block areas that do not try. Then line up the radiation field and the course of treatment starts one or two days after the initial planning session.
Typically treatments are given once or twice a day, five days per week for five to seven weeks, depending on the program chosen by the radiation oncologist. In general, the first records of planning and initiation of therapy in the oncology department take one to two hours, then each individual treatment takes a few minutes and the patient can leave the department of radiotherapy after 30-45 minutes each session. During radiation therapy does not feel or see anything, and side effects, if any, generally take two weeks or longer to appear.