Radiation therapy
An oncologist is a type of doctor who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cancer. One type of treatment an oncologist may use is radiation therapy, which destroys cancer cells through beams of strong energy.
Radiation oncologists in Florida
In the fight against cancer, it’s important to receive high quality care from a team you can trust.
We have assembled some of the most experienced physicians, but also use some of the most advanced technology to support you on your road to recovery. At HCA Florida Physicians — a network of physician practices across the state — our radiation oncologists specialize in using advanced forms of radiation technology to treat cancer.
Related specialties
Learn more about our related specialties.
Cancers we treat with radiation therapy
Radiation therapy can be used to treat most types of cancer, including but not limited to:
- Bone cancer
- Breast cancer
- Brain cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Gastrointestinal cancer
- Gynecologic cancer
- Head and neck cancer
- Lung cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Sarcoma
- Skin cancer
Understanding radiation therapy
Radiation therapy is a type of cancer treatment used to shrink or destroy a tumor. During the procedure, beams of energy (radioactive particles) are aimed directly at the tumor. This precision allows for much of the tissue surrounding the tumor to be untouched.
Our goal with radiation therapy is to spare as much healthy tissue as possible while preventing cancer from spreading to the rest of the body.
Although some normal cells may be damaged by the radiation, most will recover, unlike cancerous cells.
Radiation therapy as a cancer treatment
Radiation therapy can be used in a variety of ways to treat cancer, including:
- As the main source of cancer treatment, with the goal of curing the cancer completely
- As a complementary treatment to other treatments, such as chemotherapy or surgery
- As a way to reduce the risk of the cancer coming back after surgery
Unfortunately, it is not always possible for cancer to be cured completely. For patients who are terminally ill, radiation therapy can still help improve their quality of life by reducing the size of the tumor. This is because it can reduce pressure on parts of the body and relieve other cancer symptoms.
Types of radiation therapy we offer
Our radiation oncologists collaborate with the rest of your cancer care team to craft a treatment plan that works for you. Our doctors will also work with you one-on-one to ensure you feel comfortable and secure about your care plan. We offer many types of radiation therapy, including:
Brachytherapy
Brachytherapy is a type of internal radiation therapy that delivers radiation treatment from the inside of the body, as opposed to externally. During the treatment, your doctor will deliver the radiation source directly into the area of the body with the tumor.
Image guided radiation therapy (IGRT)
IGRT uses advanced imaging during your procedure to improve the precision and accuracy of your treatment. This not only enables more precise direction of the radiation beams but also minimizes the amount of radiation that touches healthy tissues.
Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT)
SBRT is another advanced form of radiation therapy that is used to treat tumors with pinpoint accuracy. This procedure allows for significantly higher doses of radiation to be delivered in fewer treatments, typically from one to five sessions. The benefits of this are fewer visits to the hospital, reduced side effects and less damage to healthy tissue.
Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS)
SRS is a form of radiation therapy that allows for one large dose of high-powered energy on a small area of the body. Unlike other forms of radiation therapy that may be spread out over weeks, SRS can be administered in one treatment. This allows radiation oncologists to shrink or control the growth of a tumor quickly and effectively.
Robotic radiosurgery
Many of our doctors are now using robotic radiosurgery as an advanced option to treat cancer. Robotic radiosurgery procedures are typically performed in one to five sessions.
During the procedure, the robot moves and bends around the patient, which allows for countless new possible positions to concentrate radiation.
The advanced robotic technology also uses real-time image guidance to deliver the dose from thousands of beam angles, allowing for some of the highest levels of accuracy.
Our radiation therapy specialists
Because radiation therapy can be used to treat multiple types of cancer, your physician must be able to adapt to your unique situation. That's why we employ highly trained radiation oncologists who will collaborate with your primary oncologist and have extensive experience with advanced radiation therapy techniques.
Additionally, because our doctors are part of HCA Florida Healthcare, they partner with hospitals to provide patients access to innovative technologies to produce positive outcomes for patients. This also allows them to collaborate with other specialists to ensure you receive the best possible treatment.
Together, our highly-trained doctors and physicians are ready to help you in the fight against cancer.
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Our Radiation therapy Locations