Radiation Oncology

Treatment Close to Home

Cancer is a complex, challenging illness that is unique to each individual. Our goal is to provide you with the personalized care you need, close to home.

Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays to slow or stop a cancer tumor from growing. Modern technology lets doctors treat tumors precisely while sparing much of the healthy tissue around the tumor. Radiation therapy can cure cancer, keep it from spreading, slow cancer growth or ease symptoms.

We provide radiation oncology services at:

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Nationally Accredited

CentraCare – Radiation Oncology received accreditation through the American Society of Therapeutic Radiation Oncology/APEx.

APEx accreditation is a rigorous, voluntary, multi-step process. This process evaluates commitment to high safety, quality standards and focus on patient-centered care. Accreditation comes through demonstration of program use of policies and procedures that promote effective communication, coordinated treatment and willingness to engage patients and their families as partners in care.

What is Radiation Therapy?

Radiation therapy, sometimes called radiotherapy or irradiation, is the use of various forms of radiation to safely and effectively treat cancer and other diseases. Modern technology allows radiation oncologists to treat tumors more powerfully and precisely while sparing much of the healthy tissue around the tumor.

Depending on the type of cancer and its stage of development, radiation therapy can:

Cure cancer.
Keep the cancer from spreading.
Slow the cancer’s growth.
Kill cancer cells that may have spread to other parts of the body from the original tumor.
Relieve symptoms caused by the cancer.

Sometimes radiation therapy is the only treatment a patient needs, and other times it is only one part of a patient’s treatment. For example, prostate and early stage larynx cancers are often treated with radiation alone. But a woman with breast cancer may be treated with surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

It is important for you to discuss the goal of your treatment with your radiation oncologist.

Informational Video
RT Answers: What is Radiation Therapy

Is Radiation Therapy Safe?

Some patients have concerns about the safety of radiation therapy. Radiation has been successfully used to treat patients for more than a century. In that time, many advances have been made to ensure the safety and effectiveness.

Before you begin treatment, your radiation oncology team will carefully tailor the treatment plan to assure you receive safe and accurate treatment. Throughout your treatment, members of your team check and recheck your plan. Sophisticated computers are also used to monitor and ensure proper treatment is given.

If you undergo external beam radiation therapy, you will not be “radioactive” following treatment, because the radiation does not stay in your body. However, if you undergo brachytherapy, tiny radioactive sources will be implanted inside your body, in or around the tumor, either temporarily or permanently. Your radiation oncology team will explain any special precautions that you or your family and friends may need to take.