- 3 -
person’s body where there is disease, is used to treat patients
with cancer or other diseases (cancer patients). Radiation
oncology treatment facilities, like petitioner’s, provide
radiation therapy, the use of radiation to treat disease, to
cancer patients. Radiation therapy is generally applied in
either an external or an internal form.
In external radiation therapy, a machine directs high energy
radiation rays or particles at the diseased tissue and normal
tissue near it. One type of external radiation therapy machine
is called a linear accelerator (LINAC). LINAC machines
accelerate electrons to produce the high energy radiation used
for treatment. Another type of external radiation therapy
machine contains a radioactive substance, such as cobalt-60. Use
of this latter type of machine is referred to as cobalt therapy.
In internal radiation therapy, a radioactive substance is
sealed in a small container called an implant. The implant is
inserted into a tumor or, if the tumor has been surgically
removed, is placed in the area near where the tumor was located.
Unsealed radioactive substances are also used. The material is
either taken by mouth or injected into the patient’s body.
Only a doctor who has had special training in using
radiation to treat disease, referred to as a radiation
oncologist, is able to prescribe the type and amount of radiation
treatment for cancer patients. A radiation oncologist typically
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Next
Last modified: November 10, 2007