RT Radiation Therapy
Chemo Chemotherapy
Radiation therapy occurs daily, Monday through Friday for 7 weeks. Each treatment visit lasts around 30 minutes. About 2 weeks before you start radiation treatment, you will have a planning session (simulation). The simulation appointment takes 1-2 hours and allows your doctors to build your treatment plan. If included, chemotherapy sessions usually occur weekly or every three weeks and last 4-5 hours. Chemotherapy can happen any day of the week. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy treatments are given during the same 7 weeks. You will live at home during radiation.
Surgery occurs on one day with typically a 1-2 night stay in the hospital. Recovery at home is around 2 weeks. If you are advised to have radiation (with or without chemotherapy) based on the features of your tumor, your radiation treatments will typically start between 4-6 weeks after surgery. Your doctors may prescribe a slightly reduced dose of radiation (6 weeks) or full dose radiation (7 weeks).
Use the drop-down menu to see the examples of treatment schedules.