Frequestly Asked Questions
Most radiation treatments are daily, 5 days per week, for a length from 1 to 9 weeks depending on the course that your physician prescribes.
Most patients are able to drive while receiving radiation treatments. However, with some types of cancer, driving may NOT be recommended. Your physician will be able to address your specific case.
The radiation therapists, who are under the direction of your radiation oncologist, will be taking all the time necessary to ensure that you are accurately positioned for your treatment The actual time when the radiation is "on" is generally less than a minute for each treatment field. Most of the time, patients are in and out of the department in less than 30 minutes. The staff arranges the schedules to ensure that appointments are kept on time, but on some days, there may be delays because of unforeseen circumstances or emergencies.
Chemotherapy is medication that is given by injections or pills for cancer. This type of treatment is circulated throughout the entire body and is prescribed by a medical oncologist. Radiation therapy is produced by a linear accelerator or a radioactive source, and is prescribed by a radiation oncologist. The radiation beams are focused on a very specific area of the body.
Through years of research and experience, there are doses that are recommended for each specific type of cancer. Your case will be thoroughly reviewed by the radiation oncologist, and a customized dose will be prescribed based on the cancer diagnosis, the cell type, and the stage of the disease.
Good nutrition is important during your radiation treatments, and taking a multi-vitamin at this time is acceptable. Your physician will, however, need to be aware of all medication that you are currently taking, including large doses of any one vitamin.
As a general rule, the area that is being treated with radiation should NOT be exposed to direct sunlight.
Many patients are seen by their radiation oncologist for some period of time after their treatments are completed. Your specific schedule will be determined by your radiation oncologist.
If you miss an appointment during your prescribed treatment, it will extend your treatment course by a day. We strongly recommend that you make all appointments as prescribed by your radiation oncologist. Keep in mind that the treatments are generally given Monday through Friday.
There is no pain associated with the radiation treatments. It is very much like having an X-ray taken.
Getting another opinion is your decision and prerogative. It is important that you are aware of all of your options before starting a course of treatment.
There are some groups in the area, like the American Cancer Society, that can assist you if there are transportation difficulties. Our front desk staff is competent to assist our patients in finding available services.
We accept all insurances at the Radiation Oncology Centers with appropriate authorization. You may be responsible for a portion of the balance, depending on your coverage. In addition, there are billing specialists available to answer any and all questions you may have.
Your initial visit with your radiation oncologist will take 1 to 1 1/2 hours. At this time, he or she will review all of your records and will discuss treatment options with you. If desired, your spouse and/or a family member may be present during your visit and ask questions.
We have TEAM COVERAGE!! You will be scheduled to see your doctor once a week during your treatments. Sometimes, you will see a physician other than your regular doctor. You will also be monitored daily by the radiation therapists who actually deliver the radiation treatments. In addition, all departments are staffed with nursing personnel who can manage your needs and answer health questions relating to your treatments.
Many patients are seen by their radiation oncologist for some period of time after their treatments are completed. Your specific schedule will be determined by your radiation oncologist.
Fatigue, feeling tired and lacking energy, is the most common symptom reported by cancer patients. The exact cause is not always known. It may be due to the disease itself or to treatment. It may also result from lowered blood counts, lack of sleep, pain and poor appetite. Most people begin to feel tired after a few weeks of radiation therapy. During radiation therapy, the body uses a lot of energy for healing. You also may be tired because of stress related to your illness, daily trips for treatment, and the effects of radiation on normal cells. Feelings of weakness or weariness will go away gradually after your treatment has been completed. You can help yourself during radiation therapy by not trying to do too much. If you do feel tired, limit your activities and use your leisure time in a restful way. Save your energy for doing the things that you feel are most important. Do not feel that you have to do everything you normally do. Try to get more sleep at night, and plan your day so that you have time to rest if you need it. Several short naps or breaks may be more helpful than a long rest period. If you have a full-time job, you may want to try to continue to work your normal schedule. However, some patients prefer to take time off while they're receiving radiation therapy; others work a reduced number of hours. Whether you're going to work or not, it's a good idea to ask family members or friends to help with daily chores, shopping, child care, housework, or driving. Neighbors may be able to help by picking up groceries for you when they do their own shopping. You also could ask someone to drive you to and from your treatment visits to help conserve your energy.
You may notice that your skin in the treatment area is red or irritated. It may look as if it is sunburned, or tanned. After a few weeks your skin may be very dry from the therapy. Ask your doctor or nurse for advice on how to relieve itching or discomforts. With some kinds of radiation therapy, treated skin may develop a "moist reaction," especially in areas where there are skin folds. When this happens, the skin is wet and it may become very sore. It's important to notify your doctor or nurse if your skin develops a moist reaction. They can give you suggestions on how to care for these areas and prevent them from becoming infected. During radiation therapy you will need to be very gentle with the skin in the treatment area.
The following suggestions may be helpful:
Avoid irritating treated skin. When you wash, use only lukewarm water and mild soap; pat dry. Do not wear tight clothing over the area. Do not rub, scrub, or scratch the skin in the treatment area. Avoid putting anything that is hot or cold, such as heating pads or ice packs, on your treated skin. Ask your doctor or nurse to recommend skin care products that will not cause skin irritation. Do not use any powders, creams, perfumes, deodorants, body oils, ointments, lotions, or home remedies in the treatment area while you're being treated and for several weeks afterward unless approved by your doctor or nurse. Do not apply any skin lotions within 2 hours of a treatment. Avoid exposing the radiated area to the sun during treatment. If you expect to be in the sun for more than a few minutes, you will need to be very careful. Wear protective clothing (such as a hat with a broad brim and a shirt with long sleeves) and use a sunscreen. Ask your doctor or nurse about using sun blocking lotions. After your treatment is over, ask your doctor or nurse how long you should continue to take extra precautions in the sun. The majority of skin reactions to radiation therapy go away a few weeks after treatment is completed. In some cases, though, the treated skin will remain slightly darker than it was before and it may continue to be more sensitive to sun exposure.
Radiation therapy can cause hair loss, also known as alopecia, but only in the area being treated. For example, if you are receiving treatment to your hip, you will not lose the hair from you head. Radiation of your head may cause you to lose some or all of the hair on your scalp. Many patients find that their hair grows back again after the treatments are finished. The amount of hair that grows back will depend on how much and what kind of radiation you receive. You may notice that your hair has a slightly different texture or color when it grows back. Other types of cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy, also can affect how your hair grows back. Although your scalp may be tender after the hair is lost, it's a good idea to cover your head with a hat, turban, or scarf. You should wear a protective cap or scarf when you're in the sun or outdoors in cold weather.
Radiation therapy can cause low levels of white blood cells and platelets. These blood cells normally help your body fight infection and prevent bleeding. If large areas of active bone marrow are treated, your red blood cell count many be low as well. If your blood tests show these side effects, your doctor may wait until your blood counts increase to continue treatments. Your doctor will check your blood counts regularly and change your treatment schedule if it is necessary.
The contractual adjustment is the dollar difference between what the hospital and physician billed and what Medicare has approved for payment. The amount is customarily written off by the healthcare provider who accepts Medicare assignment.
Medicare, Medicaid and most major insurance companies do not allow beneficiaries to submit claims, however some secondary plans do. Keep in mind that if you submit a claim incorrectly, it could cause more problems than it might prevent. Beneficiaries submitting claims, is against Medicare rules.
Not necessarily. The university billing offices receive billing info from the respective clinics that provide you patient care. If cash payments are made, specific information regarding the dates and medical services must be provided to the hospital cashiers to insure that each service billed is correctly matched with your cash payments. Once your cash payment is posted to the correct service; no bill will need to be sent to your insurance plan. Keep in mind, you may lose any of your insurance plan payment discounts or special rates if you fail to submit a claim and pay cash. This is not recommended if you have Medicare (Medicare requires providers to submit claims) or an HMO plan (you shouldn't have to pay anything).
No. If Medicare is your primary insurance (and Medicare will make this determination) it will pay your claims first and all other plans you have will be required to pay afterwards. If Medicare considers itself secondary, the agency will notify you and your provider. When Medicare is secondary, it pays your claims only after some other primary insurance plan pays.
If you receive a monthly statement listing posted charges without payments, consider it an informational statement only. The statement will say, "your insurance has been billed. You will be notified." Statements are a record of your services provided by the hospital and the physicians group.
In Radiation Oncology and several other specialty clinics, special tasks must be performed before a patient's treatments can begin. These services usually occur behind the scenes, but are extremely important to excellent medical care. Physicists and technicians work in Radiation Oncology to prepare numerical dose calculations, plans and protection devices for exacting radiation therapy when you, the patient have already left the clinic. However, their work must be completed before you return to begin radiation treatments. As a result, you may find dates on your monthly statement which do not coincide with a day when you were present in our clinic.