Lung Cancer

External Beam Radiation Therapy

External beam radiation therapy targets your lung cancer. Radiation is given in a series of daily radiation treatments, Monday throught Friday. Treatments are painless and last less than 30 minutes.

Conventional radiation therapy uses multiple radiation fields to target the cancer and keep radiation from healthy cells.  3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) combines multiple radiation treatment fields to deliver precise doses of radiation to the lung tumor. Tailoring each of the radiation beams to focus on the tumor targets the cancer while protecting nearby healthy tissue.  Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is a form of 3D-CRT that modifies the radiation by varying the intensity of each radiation beam. IMRT is still being studied for lung cancer.  Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is a specialized form of 3D-CRT that delivers high doses of radiation over a period of five to eight days. It is currently being evaluated for the treatment of lung cancer. This type of treatment is available at only a few centers around the country.

Internal Radiation

Internal radiation or brachytherapy is the placement of radioactive material into or near your tumor.  Before treatment, a bronchoscopy will be done to place one or two thin plastic tubes into your nose and into the airways of the lung.  The tube or tubes are then connected to a brachytherapy machine. The tube serves as a channel to deliver a dose of radiation by briefly placing a tiny radioactive source near the lung tumor.  After treatment, the tubes are removed. They may be placed again if you need more treatment.