Ivy Blog
Brain Tumor Talk Ep. 5: Radiation Oncology Q&A
In this episode of Brain Tumor Talk, we’re discussing radiation oncology, a critical treatment modality in cancer care. Radiation therapy uses advanced technology to target and destroy cancer cells. Dr. William Kennedy, neuro-radiation oncologist at the Ivy Center at Barrow Neurological Institute, joins us to explain what radiation oncology is and what to expect when receiving this treatment.
Radiation therapy is part of the standard treatment regimen – alongside surgery and chemotherapy – for several types of cancers, including brain tumors. Radiation works by delivering ionizing radiation directly to cancer cells, causing DNA damage in the tumor tissue.
Dr. Kennedy works to create a unique radiation plan for each of his brain tumor patients while ensuring a rigorous safety and quality-assurance process. The goal, he says, is to preserve nearby delicate parts of the brain while effectively treating the tumor.
Listen in to get all your radiation oncology questions answered.
In this Episode, You’ll Hear
- What to expect when receiving radiation treatment
- The different types of radiation therapy
- The typical radiation treatment plan for a brain tumor patient
- Long and short-term symptoms of radiation
What to listen for:
1:40: High-level overview of radiation therapy
4:16: How long is radiation treatment?
7:41: Managing patients with claustrophobia
9:00: What’s a safe level of radiation?
11:33: Different delivery methods of radiation therapy
20:55: A typical timeline for radiation
23:22: Foregoing surgery for chemo and radiation only
28:25: What is a radiosensitizer?
30:23: Can a patient receive radiation multiple times?
33:50: Side effects to expect after radiation treatment
43:15: How does radiation affect healthy brain tissue?
48:05: Most exciting advancement in the radiation field
51:00: Dr. Kennedy’s rapid-fire Q&A
Follow Brain Tumor Talk on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and anywhere you listen. We value your feedback – please leave us a review.