Читать книгу The Cancer Directory - Dr. Daniel Rosy - Страница 104

A consultant radiotherapist will be in charge of your radiotherapy treatment and will help with decision-making. So, discuss any problems or questions you have with him. When receiving radiotherapy, the radiographers who deliver the treatment will see you on a daily basis. They are an excellent source of information and can often be far more helpful than the consultant. Despite a lot of adverse publicity, radiotherapy is a remarkably safe form of treatment. There are clear guidelines for the calibration of the machines, and it is a legal requirement that the machines be frequently checked.

Having decided on radiotherapy, the next part of the process is the planning. This is usually done on a machine called a ‘simulator’, which simulates your treatment on the X-ray therapy machine to set up the exact position of the intended treatment. The area to be treated is marked on your skin with an indelible pen so that the markings last throughout the treatment period. However, if the areas are complicated or where marks are unsightly or less likely to stay put, a perspex shell can be contoured to fit your body precisely and act as a marker. This shell can also prevent even the slightest movement during treatment so that the X-ray beam only strikes those tissues it is supposed to hit. If intended for the head, holes are cut out of the shell to leave your eyes, nose and mouth uncovered.

As no two individuals are the same, do not be alarmed if you compare notes with others and find that your radiotherapy is different from theirs. There are all sorts of reasons for this. If you are at all worried, question the radiographers during one of your visits or ask to see the consultant oncologist who has planned your treatment.

Different centres may use different machines, with larger centres having a wider choice for more specialized treatments. But it may be appropriate to be treated at a small centre nearer home to cut down on the hours spent travelling to and from the hospital each day. Once again, a relative-benefit evaluation needs to be done, involving both you and your doctor.

If the most important aspect of treatment is the cosmetic result, then this may necessitate a lengthier treatment using a relatively lower dose to avoid long-term skin damage from the radiation. However, if the final appearance is not of concern and the area being treated is very small, it may be possible to have a shorter course of radiotherapy using a higher dose. Radiotherapy treatment is flexible, and it is important that the patient makes his needs apparent at the outset so that the consultant can tailor the treatment appropriately.

New research by Professor Kedar N. Prasad in the US has shown that, far from potentially diminishing the effectiveness of chemo-and radiotherapy, high-dose vitamin and mineral therapy can potentiate both forms of treatment. This is because the abnormal tumour cells become more vulnerable after having taken up high levels of antioxidants (see Chapter 5).