Q: Who does radiotherapy on patients with cancers?
A: Radiotherapy is done by a radiation oncologist.
Q: What are radiopharmaceuticals?
A: Radiopharmaceuticals are radioactive drugs used to treat cancer and reduce the pain caused by the spread of cancer to the bone. The most commonly used radio pharmaceuticals are samarium 153 and strontium 89. Both agents are given intravenously and is used in outpatient department.
Q: Is radiotherapy used for non-malignant conditions also?
A: Yes. It is used for treating severe thyroid diseases and in preventing keloid formation.
Q: Will radiotherapy make the patient radioactive?
A: In case of patients receiving external and internal sealed radiotherapy the patient is not radioactive but in unsealed internal radiotherapy treatment the radioactive material will leave the body through saliva, sweat, and urine before the radioactivity decays and hence the patient has to be careful and follow certain special precautions.
Q: Who plans and delivers the radiation therapy to the patient?
A: The radiation therapy team consists of the Radiation oncologist, a doctor who specializes in using radiation to treat cancer. Dosimetrist, who determines the proper radiation dose. Radiation physicist, who makes sure that the machine, delivers the right amount of radiation to the correct site in the body. Radiation therapist, who gives the radiation treatment.
