Radiation Therapy
Last reviewed: August 17, 2022
Radiation Therapy is the treatment of cancer using radiation. Radiation is used to damage cancer cells. This can be done in different ways. Your radiation oncologist will talk with you about your choices for treatment. If you decide to have radiation treatment, your radiation oncologist and nurse will tell you what will happen next.
Your Radiation Therapy Team
Your radiation therapy team includes radiation oncologists, radiation therapists, medical physicists, oncology nurses, clerks, physics associates and service engineers as well as other healthcare professionals. Click here to watch a video to learn about the support the Psychosocial Oncology Team can offer you. Click here to watch a video to learn about the support offered by the Indigenous Navigator.
Before Your Appointments
Watch the 2 short videos below to learn more about what to expect during your CT simulation and radiation therapy treatment appointments.
- Video: What to Expect During Your CT Simulation
- Video: What to Expect During Your Radiation Treatments
Radiation Therapy is located on the B1 Level of the DRCC. You will need to take the elevator or the stairs to the B1 or lower level of the DRCC.
Visitor restrictions
Lakeridge Health, and the Durham Regional Cancer Centre continue to restrict visitors in the hospital. This includes your family members/partners-in-care.
You may bring one (1) family member/partner-in-care with you to appointments if you need their support. Your family member/partner-in-care needs to:
- Review and pass the COVID-19 screening questions at the entrance of the hospital.
- Wear a mask that completely covers their nose and mouth at all times. Removal of this mask to eat and drink can only happen in the hospital food court.
- Use hand sanitizer/wash their hands often.
We may need to restrict the number of family members/partners-in-care in some areas of the cancer centre where space is limited. We need to make sure we can safely provide care and treatment to all patients.
Click here for more information on appointments in the cancer centre.
Location of your Appointments
Radiation Therapy is located on the B1 Level of the cancer centre. Take the elevator or the stairs to the B1 or lower level of the cancer centre. Check in at the B1 reception desk for your first appointment. Our clerical staff will show you how to check in using our check in computers for your remaining appointments.
Your CT Simulation Appointment
The first step is to plan your radiation treatments. This is done before your treatment starts. You will need to come to the DRCC for a planning visit (it is called radiation simulation on your list of appointments). During this planning visit you will have a Computerized Tomography (CT) scan. The information on your CT scan is used to plan your radiation treatment. Please arrive and check-in 15 minutes before your appointment time.
Before you leave your CT Simulation appointment you will be given your first treatment appointment.
Your Radiation Treatment Appointments
You will come to the cancer centre for your treatment appointments. Please arrive and check in 15 minutes before the time of your first treatment appointment. You will see your radiation oncologist and/or a nurse for a Radiation Treatment Review once a week while you are on treatment.
Check your appointment list on MyChart regularly. It is important to confirm the time of your appointments daily as they may change up to 2 days before the appointment. We may need to change appointments to fit in emergency treatments or machine maintenance.
To learn more about your radiation treatments read the Canadian Cancer Society booklet Radiation Therapy: A Guide for People With Cancer or click here to watch a short video on radiation therapy.
Finding the cancer centre
From Hospital Court
Enter through the main lobby and continue past the food court to the A-wing hallway, located just passed the lobby escalators. Turn left into the A-wing hallway and continue past the double doors into the first floor of the cancer centre. Take the C Wing Elevators down to B1 Level. When you exit the elevators, the reception desk will be on your right. You need to scan your health card to check-in at one of the computers in the cancer centre.
From Parkwood Court
The main entrance to the cancer centre is at the set of hospital doors furthest to the east on Parkwood Court. Come through this entrance and head straight to the C Wing Elevators. Take the C Wing Elevators down to B1 Level. When you exit the elevators, the reception desk will be on your right. You need to scan your health card to check-in at one of the computers in the cancer centre.