If you and your doctor have decided that radiation therapy is the right option for you, you will begin with an extended meeting with your doctor or nurse to prepare. During this meeting, you will have a physical exam, talk about your medical history and potentially have some imaging tests done. You and your doctor can discuss external beam radiation therapy, the benefits and side effects during this meeting.
By informing yourself as much as you can before the meeting, you will feel more confident about your options and what will happen during the therapy and how to make your recovery as manageable and positive as it can be.
Get to know your full cancer care team, also called your radiation therapy team. This multi-disciplinary team usually consists of a radiation oncologist, nurse practitioner, radiation nurse, radiation therapist, and others like a dietician, physical therapist and social worker.
Prior to treatment, you will also meet with a radiation oncologist and radiation therapist to define the treatment area using scans. They might also put permanent marks – dots of colored ink – on your skin to mark the treatment area.
Most importantly, the team includes you and your role is very important. The best way to prepare for treatment is to increase your knowledge of the procedure and follow the guidelines set by your cancer care team.
Ask questions so you understand exactly what will happen before, during and after the treatment:
Talk about any concerns you may have regarding your treatment:
Arrive on time for all your radiation sessions
Having a clear picture of the treatment process, the recovery period and living long-term with a brain tumor or effects from brain tumor treatment will aid in your recovery.
