Why you might need radiation therapy
Patients are usually referred for radiation therapy at Austin Health by their general practitioner, surgeon or medical oncologist. Radiation therapy is used as a safe and effective treatment for many types of cancer.
For some people, radiation therapy is the main treatment to cure cancer, but it is often combined with other treatments including surgery, chemotherapy or hormone therapy. Radiation therapy can be given before, during or after these treatments. Radiation therapy is also useful to relieve symptoms of cancer such as pain, even in patients whose cancer is too advanced to be cured. Certain non-cancerous conditions can also be treated with radiation therapy.
View a tour of our Radiation Therapy (or Radiation Oncology) facilities at the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre, to help you understand what we do and what to expect when you come here for your radiation therapy treatment.
Helpful resources during your treatment
These resources will help you to better understand what to expect from your care and treatment, and enable you to be involved in the planning of your individual cancer care and management, together with your treatment team.
If you have any questions about any of these resources, please ask a member of your treatment team.
How you receive your radiation therapy
Radiation therapy treatment is usually given with a machine called a linear accelerator. These machines are very precise and use imaging technology to target your treatment. The machine moves around you and can treat you from many different directions. Radiation therapy treats a specific area of the body. You won’t see or feel the X-rays and you will not be radioactive after treatment.