What Can I Expect During TrueBeam Treatment?
Thanks to its use of advanced technology, TrueBeam is one of the most convenient and comfortable treatments on the market today. Your treatment will consist of three major steps:
- Planning: After your final diagnosis, our medical physicist will generate detailed 3D diagnostic images of the tumor using a CT or MRI scan. We’ll create a model of your tumor from these images, which your radiation oncologist and medical physicist will use to plan your customized treatment, specifying the doses of radiation, treatment area, and session plan in detail.
- Preparation: For most cases, we’ll need to schedule a dedicated treatment preparation appointment. During this visit, we’ll get you accustomed with the TrueBeam equipment and make any necessary adjustments to ensure treatment goes smoothly. We may create molded appliances that help you comfortably maintain the same position each day, and we may also mark the treatment area on your skin to assist with aligning the equipment.
- Treatment: Once everything is in place, we’ll begin with your actual radiotherapy treatment sessions. The dosage and schedule of your treatment will vary depending upon your specific treatment plan, but in most cases, we’ll separate your overall dose into a number of smaller doses, called fractions, which we’ll deliver daily. Treatment usually takes only a few minutes each day, and the TrueBeam linear accelerator can rotate around your body to deliver radiation from every angle. After we’ve completed your treatment, we’ll continue monitoring the site of the tumor to ensure treatment was effective and plan any necessary next steps.
Your TrueBeam Treatment Team
TrueBeam cancer treatment requires the collaboration of a number of medical professionals, and each one plays a unique role in helping to design and deliver your treatment. In general, your treatment team will consist of:
- Radiation Oncologist: This is a doctor who specializes in using radiation to treat diseases like cancer. They’ll prescribe the type and amount of radiation necessary for your treatment, and they’ll work closely with the other members of your team to ensure treatment is progressing smoothly.
- Medical Physicist: The medical physicist helps to plan your treatment, ensuring the machine delivers the exact right dose of radiation.
- Dosimetrist: This is another professional who helps to plan your treatment alongside your oncologist and medical physicist.
- Radiation Therapy Nurse: Your radiation therapy nurse will be your main point of contact during treatment, helping you learn everything you need to know about treatment and to manage any side effects.
- Radiation Therapist: This is the person who’ll deliver your daily radiation doses, operating the TrueBeam equipment and monitoring the system to ensure your treatment is progressing smoothly.
How Long Will Treatment Last?
Treatment times vary heavily from patient to patient, and your treatment duration will depend on your diagnosis. Usually, however, you can expect daily treatment sessions to last several weeks before you achieve your prescribed dose of radiation.
Does TrueBeam Treatment Involve Radioactive Materials?
While it may be called “radiation therapy,” we aren’t talking about the kind produced by radioactivity! The radiation used by TrueBeam is actually a form of electromagnetic radiation – in other words, the same type of energy as the visible light we see every day. TrueBeam uses no radioactive materials during treatment, and it will never cause your body to become radioactive. While side effects are generally minimal, if you do experience side effects they’ll be related to the treatment area.
How Much Does Treatment Cost?
The cost of treatment varies from patient to patient, but it’ll generally depend on the length and complexity of your treatment. Most health insurance policies cover radiotherapy procedures, but you should speak with your insurance provider or doctor about how your policy will pay for treatment.
Contact Your Payson & Phoenix Cancer Treatment Center
A cancer diagnosis is difficult for anyone to cope with, but with treatments like TrueBeam, there is hope. Contact us today at one of our offices to learn more about the treatments we offer, or if you’d like to set up a consultation for yourself or a loved one, feel free to request one online using our easy online form. With 6 locations throughout the Scottsdale, Payson, Glendale, Palo Verde, & Phoenix areas, we are proud to be one of the leading cancer treatment centers in Arizona and would be thrilled to help you beat your cancer and reclaim a healthy, happy life.
