Radiation Therapy & Treatments - Los Angeles, CA Cedars-Sinai Skip to content Close Select your preferred language English عربى 简体中文 繁體中文 فارسي עִברִית 日本語 한국어 Русский Español Tagalog Menu Close Call 1-800-CEDARS-1 toggle search form Close Share Email Print Radiation Oncology Back to Radiation Oncology Leadership Locations Conditions, Treatments & Diagnostics Patient Guide Send a Message Radiation Conditions Treatments & Diagnostics The Department of Radiation Oncology at the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute offers radiation therapy. The type of therapy a patient receives depends on the type of cancer, its stage and where it is located. Understanding Radiation Therapy What is radiation treatment? Radiation therapy is a treatment for cancer that involves radioactive energy to destroy the cancer cells and their division. How does radiation treatment work? Each patient gets a custom radiation plan that will carefully target their cancer while limiting the effect on healthy tissue. Radiation works by keeping cancer cells from growing and dividing, causing them to die. How will radiation treatment affect me? Radiation to healthy cells can cause a variety of side effects and depend on where in the body you are being treated. Possible side effects that you might experience will be discussed with you, as well as ways to manage them. Who is my care team? Your care team during radiation treatment is here to support you. Your care team is your doctor, nurse, radiation therapists, dosimetrist and physicist. What is going to happen now? Your treatment path will consist of a Consultation, CT Simulation scan, Planning, Treatment and Follow-Up. Types of Radiation Therapy External beam radiation therapy External beam radiation therapy uses machines to direct a beam or beams through the skin and to the cancer site or surrounding areas. This type of radiation therapy destroys tumors or cancer cells while minimizing the risk of radiation exposure to healthy organs and tissue. Intensity modulated radiation therapy Respiratory gating and motion management Stereotactic radiosurgery Stereotactic radiotherapy Total body irradiation Brachytherapy Brachytherapy is a form of radiotherapy that places a radiation source (radioactive seeds) inside or next to the area needing treatment. It allows for the precise delivery of high-dose radiation to the targeted area while preventing healthy tissue from unnecessary exposure. Common sites for which brachytherapy treatment is considered are: Gynecological: cervical, uterine, vaginal, vulvar Prostate: definitive, salvage (re-irradiation) Breast: after lumpectomy, salvage (re-irradiation), during surgery (intraoperative radiation therapy) Skin: basal cell, squamous cell, keloids Gastrointestinal: esophageal (re-irradiation), cholangiocarcinoma, liver (hepatocellular carcinoma)/metastasis Sarcoma Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy Intensity modulated radiation therapy is a type of high-precision radiation therapy in which the strength and shape of the radiation beam is adapted to match the precise size and shape of a tumor in order to minimize the damage to surrounding tissue. Brain Breast Gastrointestinal Head and neck Lung Prostate Respiratory Gating and Motion Management Respiratory gating and motion management is a type of radiation technology that senses and accounts for motion during radiation therapy. This technology allows doctors to target the tumor during specific times and minimize radiation exposure to healthy tissue. Breast Lung Liver Pancreas Esophageal Stereotactic Radiosurgery Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is a highly precise form of radiation therapy initially developed to treat small brain tumors and functional abnormalities of the brain. This therapy can target very small areas. Breast Lung Stomach Brain Liver Brain abnormalities, such as arteriovenous malformations and meningiomas Total Body Irradiation Total body irradiation is a type of radiation therapy that delivers radiation to the entire body. It is commonly used for the treatment of certain blood cancers before a bone marrow transplant. Leukemia Lymphoma Multiple myeloma Have Questions or Need Help Call us or send a message to the Radiation Oncology team. You can also have us call you back at your convenience. Available 24 hours a day 1-800-CEDARS-1 (1-800-233-2771) SEND A MESSAGE Share Email Print Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility