External Beam Radiation

The Adventist HealthCare Cancer Centers’ external beam radiation technology brings vital treatment options to your community. You have access to the full range of radiation techniques, including industry-leading proton treatments.

What Is External Beam Radiation?

External beam radiation therapy uses a machine called a linear accelerator to send radiation into the area of your body that has cancer. This treatment helps shrink tumors, slow cancer growth and prevent cancer recurrence.

When Is External Radiation Therapy Used?

External beam radiation is very effective against many types of cancer. Some commonly treated cancers include:

Breast cancer
Colorectal cancer
Leukemia
Lung cancer
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Prostate cancer
Skin cancer
Uterine cancer

Types of Radiation Technology

There are many different types of external beam radiation. Each type has its own benefits.

Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT)

Intensity-modulated radiotherapy, or IMRT, aims many small radiation beams at your tumor from multiple directions. IMRT allows your technician to adjust the strength of each beam depending on what part of your tumor it’s treating.

Image-Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT)

IGRT allows doctors to see your tumor as they treat it. All types of external beam radiation involve taking detailed imaging of your tumor before treatment begins. With IGRT, your technician continues to image the tumor throughout the treatment sessions. This means your treatment is even more accurate, and it can help spare healthy tissue from radiation.

Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT)/Radiosurgery (SRS)/ Varian Truebeam

SBRT is an alternative to surgery in cases where it may be difficult or dangerous for a surgeon to operate on your tumor. During treatment, many weak beams of radiation pass through the tumor. They meet in the middle to make one strong beam of radiation.

Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT)/RapidArc®

VMAT stands for volumetric modulated arc therapy. With this treatment, a machine spins around you. It delivers continuous radiation beams in the shape of an arc.

Proton Beam Therapy

Most external beam radiation uses photons, which are tiny electromagnetic particles. Protons, on the other hand, are the positively charged particles in an atom. PBT, or proton beam therapy, is a new treatment that uses protons to deliver high doses of radiation to your tumor without damaging healthy tissue. Thanks to our collaboration with Maryland Oncology Hematology, you have access to the Maryland Proton Treatment Center in Baltimore.

What To Expect

Most people receive external beam radiation treatment once a day, Monday to Friday. These outpatient treatments don’t require a hospital stay. Treatment lasts several weeks, depending on the type of cancer you have and the technology used.

Wear comfortable clothes for your appointments and remove any jewelry. You’ll sit in a special chair or lie on a table as a machine delivers the radiation beams to your tumor. Treatments usually last less than five minutes. During each session, you need to hold as still as possible.

Radiation therapy is a painless procedure. This treatment does not make you radioactive.

Side Effects

Like all cancer treatments, external beam radiation therapy comes with certain risks. Please ask your doctor any questions you have about side effects. Some possible side effects include: