What to Expect During Treatment

When you and your physician determine that intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is appropriate, an appointment will be scheduled with a radiation oncologist. Preprocedure CT scans will be performed during this first visit. You will be positioned the same way you will be for actual treatment, and the CT scans will exactly map your anatomy. These imaging sessions take thirty to sixty minutes and may be repeated at intervals throughout your course of treatment. Your radiation oncologist will use these anatomical maps to develop a treatment plan tailored to you.

Once imaging and treatment planning are complete, a seven- to eight-week course of treatment will be scheduled. IMRT is usually administered five days a week, but your treatment team will determine the best course of treatment for you. Actual treatment time lasts about ten minutes and is painless. The treatment room is spacious, and you will not be completely enclosed by equipment. A radiation therapist will position you to ensure successful treatment, then go to an adjoining control room. From there, he or she will monitor you closely during radiation treatment using video cameras. The therapist can hear you at all times, and the treatment can be immediately discontinued if you feel uncomfortable or ill. Once each treatment is complete, you can return to your normal daily activities.

A follow up exam with your radiation oncologist will be scheduled abut two to four weeks after your last IMRT treatment to discuss side effects. In addition, you will undergo a digital rectal exam and blood will be drawn for a prostate-specific antigen test. Your physicians will determine the proper course of ongoing treatment based on the results of these tests.