RADIATION ONCOLOGY

Cancer is the second-most common cause of death in our country and the world after cardiovascular diseases. Cancer, the incidence of which is increasing day by day, develops due to the uncontrolled division and proliferation of cells and causes malignant formations in the body. It can affect a certain tissue or organ, as well as spread (metastasize) to surrounding tissues and organs, causing larger cancer cases. The medical unit dealing with cancer is oncology. In addition to surgical methods, there are two basic applications preferred for cancer treatment in oncology clinics. These are chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with the use of chemical drugs that affect cancer cells. The purpose, intensity, duration of administration and side effects of chemotherapy differ according to the type of cancer. The other treatment method, radiation therapy aims to destroy cancer cells using radiation beams and treat the disease in this way. Radiotherapy applications fall under the field of medical science called radiation oncology and the treatment procedures performed with this method are carried out by radiation oncology clinics.

What is Radiation Oncology?
Radiation oncology is a medical science that studies the effects of treatment procedures using ionizing radiation on cancer cells. Applications made in radiation oncology clinics are examined under two different groups: Radiosurgery and Radiotherapy. Treatment procedures in both groups are also performed using radiation. What kind of treatment plan will be applied to the patient is determined after detailed examinations and diagnostic tests by multidisciplinary teams consisting of specialist physicians and health personnel. Up to 70 percent of all cancer patients will require radiotherapy at any stage of treatment. Radiotherapy can be used alone or in combination with chemotherapy before or after surgery.

Who Works in Radiation Oncology Clinics?
Follow-up and examinations by physicians with different specialties are very important in order to increase the success rate in cancer treatment, which requires multidisciplinary teamwork to reduce side effects and determine the most appropriate treatment approach for the patient. In addition to 6 years of medical education, specialist physicians who have received 5 years of radiation oncology training work in radiation oncology clinics. Physicians working in this field have information about all the physical and radiobiological processes related to radiotherapy applications, as well as all kinds of side effects that develop in the early period after treatment and spread over time, before receiving their specialty titles. In this way, he can meticulously manage the follow-up processes during and after the treatment. In addition to experienced radiation oncologists, radiology technicians who work together with radiation oncologists work in our hospital to complete the necessary procedures within the framework of the treatment plan and to provide maintenance and technical support for the devices used in the treatment. Radiology technicians, who have received detailed training on the correct and effective use of radiotherapy devices, have responsibilities such as keeping the patient in the required positions during the treatment, managing the devices from the control room, communicating with the patient, taking the necessary images during the treatment and observing the general condition of the patient. In addition, oncology nurses with special training in radiation oncology work with the radiation oncologist during all procedures related to the treatment and follow-up of patients in radiation oncology clinics. Oncology nurses provide training to patients on many subjects, such as the principles of radiotherapy, applications to reduce side effects and treatment requirements.

What Is Radiotherapy and How Does It Work?

Radiotherapy, also known as “Radiation Therapy” among the people, is a treatment technique that has been used for many years in the treatment of cancer. Approximately three-quarters of all patients diagnosed with cancer receive radiotherapy at least once during the course of their treatment. Radiation used in radiation therapy, which is an application that allows the treatment of tissues consisting of cancer cells and in some cases, benign tumors with radiation beams, targets the nuclei of cancerous cells and causes damage there. Cells with damaged nuclei lose their ability to reproduce, and cancer is treated or controlled in this way. In addition to damaging cancer cells, radiotherapy also damages healthy cells, albeit to a lesser extent. This is one of the factors that play a role in the emergence of unwanted side effects. However, since healthy cells have more advanced repair mechanisms than cancer cells, they can reproduce and regain their former health after treatment.

In radiotherapy procedures applied in radiation oncology clinics, the PET/CT method should be used both to determine the status and spread of the disease in the pre-treatment period and to investigate the success of radiotherapy during treatment. With PET/CT, a medical imaging method, metabolic changes caused by diseases are examined using radioactive components. Thanks to this imaging method, which gives very detailed information, structural and functional changes in the body are evaluated and the most appropriate treatment approach is determined.

Radiosurgery Practices in Radiation Oncology Clinics

Surgical procedures using radiation beams are called radiosurgery. With these applications, malignant tumors with a suitable structure can be removed from the body using certain techniques, just as if they were removed during a surgical operation. As in radiotherapy procedures, the aim of radiosurgery is to treat cancer. In radiosurgery applications, state-of-the-art devices offered by developing medical technology are used. Radiosurgery can be performed by choosing the appropriate device, such as the CyberKnife M6, Tomotherapy, EDGE, MR-LINAC, Trilogy, TrueBeam, or Gamma Knife. Radiosurgery applications using ionizing radiation include different techniques. Which technique should be applied is decided by evaluating many factors, such as the patient’s condition, the location of the tumor and the extent of spread.

The most commonly used of these techniques are as follows:

Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRC): Cancerous cells determined as targets in stereotactic radiosurgery are coordinated in three dimensions and then completely destroyed in a single session using a high-dose radiation beam. The application of the procedure accompanied by imaging methods (IGRT) increases the selectivity for the targeted tissue and minimizes the damage to healthy tissues.

Stereotactic Radiotherapy (SRT): In stereotactic radiotherapy, the target cancerous tissue is destroyed in 3–4 sessions instead of a single session, unlike in standard radiotherapy, by using lower radiation doses. With this method, the targeted tissue can be treated more sensitively and a high level of protection for healthy tissues can be achieved.

If you also have a diagnosed oncological disease, you can apply to our hospitals and undergo a detailed examination. You can find out at what stage your disease is by getting the necessary diagnostic tests done. As a result of the evaluation of the findings to be obtained by specialist physicians, you can determine your treatment plan and start the necessary applications in the early stages, so you can defeat cancer, as many people have succeeded.