Your radiation oncologist may ask you to have another scan (CT, PET, or MRI) before the follow-up appointment. You will meet with your doctor 3 to 6 weeks after you complete your radiation treatment course. Your doctor will ask you how you are doing, assess your progress, and offer additional care and guidance.
- What are reasons that I should call you after my treatment ends?
- How and when will I know if I am cured of cancer?
- What are the chances that the cancer will come back?
- How often do I need to return for checkups?
- What are the concerning long-term side effects?
How to find a good radiation oncologist?
- Radiation cystitis. If the radiation damages the lining of the bladder, radiation cystitis can be a long-term problem that causes blood in the urine or pain when passing urine.
- Urinary incontinence. ...
- Fistulas. ...
What questions should you ask your oncologist?
- What are the side effects of the drugs I will be receiving? ...
- If I have unusual or severe side effects, or have questions about the treatment, whom should I call? ...
- How will I feel after the treatment and between treatments? ...
- Can I take my other prescription or nonprescription medications while I am receiving chemotherapy?
What questions to ask radiologist?
- Work together with your technology team to determine how you can integrate patient-forward initiatives into your existing EHR.
- Connect with other departments and borrow from existing models within your health system to integrate technological improvements to patient care.
- Don’t be afraid of change. ...
How competitive is a radiation oncology residency?
Research, publications, presentations go a long way in making you a very competitive applicant for the field. Although not mandatory, most students applying for radiation oncology tend to spend a good amount of time in research (clinical and or bench) or have a PhD, MBA or MPH to boost their application.
What should I ask my oncologist after treatment?
Questions to Ask Your Doctor When You Have Finished TreatmentHow long will it take for me to get better and feel more like myself?What kind of care should I expect after my treatment?What long-term health issues can I expect as a result of my cancer and its treatment?What is the chance that my cancer will return?More items...•
What happens after you finish radiation therapy?
Radiation therapy usually does not have an immediate effect, and it could take days, weeks or months to see any change in the cancer. The cancer cells may keep dying for weeks or months after the end of treatment. It may be some time before you know whether the radiation therapy has controlled the cancer.
What happens when cancer treatment is finished?
When treatment ends, you may expect life to return to the way it was before you were diagnosed with cancer. But it can take time to recover. You may have permanent scars on your body, or you may not be able to do some things you once did easily. Or you may even have emotional scars from going through so much.
Does radiotherapy continue to working after treatment is finished?
How long does radiation therapy take to work? Radiation therapy does not kill cancer cells right away. It takes days or weeks of treatment before cancer cells start to die. Then, cancer cells keep dying for weeks or months after radiation therapy ends.
What do you say to someone who finished radiation?
How to Know What to Say to Cancer Survivors and PatientsDon't Be Unrealistically Positive.Don't Tell a Story About Someone You Know Who Beat Cancer.Don't Make It About You (or Go MIA)Don't Give Unsolicited Recommendations.
How do you know if radiation has worked?
After treatments like chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy, your doctor will examine you for any new growths. You'll also get blood tests, X-rays, and other imaging tests. These tests will measure your tumor and see if your treatment has slowed or stopped your cancer.
What are the signs of cancer coming back?
Warning signs of a distant recurrence tend to involve a different body part from the original cancer site. For example, if cancer recurs in the lungs, you might experience coughing and difficulty breathing, while a recurrence of cancer in the brain can cause seizures and headaches.
Do tumors grow back after radiation?
Normal cells close to the cancer can also become damaged by radiation, but most recover and go back to working normally. If radiotherapy doesn't kill all of the cancer cells, they will regrow at some point in the future.
How long does it take for a tumor to shrink after radiation?
At the same time, if a cell doesn't divide, it also cannot grow and spread. For tumors that divide slowly, the mass may shrink over a long, extended period after radiation stops. The median time for a prostate cancer to shrink is about 18 months (some quicker, some slower).
How long does it take to get back to normal after radiotherapy?
The side effects of radiotherapy usually peak up to two weeks after treatment has finished. The effects of radiotherapy continue developing, and it may take a further couple of weeks to several months for you to feel normal, depending on the area of the body that has been treated.
How long does it take to fully recover from radiation therapy?
Most side effects generally go away within a few weeks to 2 months of finishing treatment. But some side effects may continue after treatment is over because it takes time for healthy cells to recover from the effects of radiation therapy. Late side effects can happen months or years after treatment.
How long does it take to feel normal after radiation?
Most side effects go away within 1–2 months after you have finished radiation therapy.
How long for immune system to recover after radiation?
It can take months for the immune system to rebound after chemo and radiation. The specific drug(s) can make a difference in recovery time. Smokers tend to recover more slowly.
How long does it take to recover from radiation therapy?
Most side effects generally go away within a few weeks to 2 months of finishing treatment. But some side effects may continue after treatment is over because it takes time for healthy cells to recover from the effects of radiation therapy. Late side effects can happen months or years after treatment.
Do tumors grow back after radiation?
Normal cells close to the cancer can also become damaged by radiation, but most recover and go back to working normally. If radiotherapy doesn't kill all of the cancer cells, they will regrow at some point in the future.
How long after radiation do you start to feel better?
Most side effects go away within 1–2 months after you have finished radiation therapy.
What is the best source of accurate information about radiation therapy?
It is important that you fully understand the potential benefits, side effects, and goals of radiation therapy. Your radiation oncologist and radiation oncology nurses are available to answer any questions you may have during treatment. They are the best source of accurate information about your particular case.
What to do if your doctor says something you don't understand?
Your care team is here to help you, and that begins with ensuring you understand your diagnosis, treatment, and options .
How to remember questions in the office?
Write down your questions in advance. It can be difficult to remember what questions you have when you’re in the office. Writing them down and ranking your questions will help you to not miss anything and ask the most important questions first.
What to do after radiation therapy?
When your radiation therapy is complete, you will meet with your radiation oncologist for follow-up. Your next steps after that may include: Meeting with other care teams for additional treatment, if needed. Meeting with the cancer survivorship team for supportive care.
How long does it take to see a doctor after radiation?
You will meet with your doctor 3 to 6 weeks after you complete your radiation treatment course. Your doctor will ask you how you are doing, assess your progress, and offer additional care and guidance.
What is the medical team responsible for oropharyngeal cancer?
If hormone therapy is part of your treatment plan, you will meet with the medical oncology team to discuss the next phase of your treatment. The medical oncology team may take over managing your oropharyngeal cancer care, including follow-up visits.
How long does it take to see a radiation oncologist?
You will meet with your radiation oncologist about 3 to 6 weeks after you complete your radiation treatments.
Do side effects of radiation go away?
If you experience side effects from your radiation therapy, please tell your care team. Sometimes, the side effects go away when your treatment is finished. If not, we can provide prescription medications or other suggestions to help you manage side effects. Published June 2019.
Can you get radiation for oropharyngeal cancer?
In oropharyngeal cancer care, radiation therapy usually follows primary treatment with surgery or drug therapy. For people who have hormone receptor-positive oropharyngeal cancer, hormone therapy after radiation therapy can reduce the risk of recurrence. If hormone therapy is part of your treatment plan, you will meet with the medical oncology team to discuss the next phase of your treatment. The medical oncology team may take over managing your oropharyngeal cancer care, including follow-up visits.
What to do before a cancer oncologist appointment?
Before your final appointment with your oncologist, tell her or him that you would like to sit down and discuss the next steps as you begin your life as a cancer survivor. It may be helpful to set up a specific appointment with your doctor so that you can focus on getting answers to your questions without feeling rushed.
How can a health advisor help you with cancer?
If you want help managing your healthcare and taking steps to reduce your risk of the cancer returning, a health advisor can connect you with top physicians and help you make sure all your medical records are collected, reviewed and stored electronically so you and your physicians can access them instantly whenever they are needed to ensure appropriate care.
How long does radiation treatment last?
They usually begin by the second or third week of treatment and may last for several weeks after the final radiation treatment.
How to make an appointment at MD Anderson?
Request an appointment at MD Anderson online or by calling 1-877-632-6789.
Can radiation cause cancer?
The risk of developing a second cancer due to radiation therapy is very low. The benefits of your recommended treatment far outweigh the small risk that your radiation treatment could cause another cancer later in life.
Can you be radioactive if you have a radiation seed implant?
You’re radioactive only if you’re undergoing treatment with a radiation seed implant. If you are hospitalized for this procedure, you’ll be in a protected room to limit your exposure to other people. This is something your doctor will talk to you beforehand.
Can you re-irradiate the same area?
With our newer technologies, we are able to carefully re-irradiate the same area in some situations. This is something you should discuss with your doctor.
Can radiation therapy cause infections?
Generally, cancer patients who are treated with radiation therapy alone aren ’t more likely to develop infections. Pamela J. Schlembach is professor of Radiation Oncology at MD Anderson in The Woodlands. Request an appointment at MD Anderson online or by calling 1-877-632-6789.
Your Final Treatment
Come in For Your Follow-Up Appointment
- You will meet with your radiation oncologist about 3 to 6 weeks after you complete your radiation treatments. 1. Your radiation oncologist may ask you to have another scan (CT, PET, or MRI) before the follow-up appointment. 2. You will meet with your doctor 3 to 6 weeks after you complete your radiation treatment course. 3. Your doctor will ask you...
Begin Additional Treatment
- In oropharyngeal cancer care, radiation therapy usually follows primary treatment with surgery or drug therapy. For people who have hormone receptor-positive oropharyngeal cancer, hormone therapy after radiation therapy can reduce the risk of recurrence. If hormone therapy is part of your treatment plan, you will meet with the medical oncology team to discuss the next phase of …
Managing Side Effects
- If you experience side effects from your radiation therapy, please tell your care team. Sometimes, the side effects go away when your treatment is finished. If not, we can provide prescription medications or other suggestions to help you manage side effects. Published June 2019 Stanford Health Care © 2019