Serving Michigan
Radiation Oncology
Radiation oncology can have lifesaving benefits for people with cancer. Radiation therapy is always improving, so you want to know you’re receiving the latest, most effective treatment.
Our highly experienced radiation oncologists use the most advanced techniques available. Our whole-person approach means we focus on making your treatments less stressful and as comfortable as possible.
Learn More About Radiation Oncology
You can learn more about radiation oncology services by contacting our cancer centers.
Radiation Oncology at Trinity Health Michigan: Why Choose Us?
As one of Michigan’s largest radiation oncology programs, we offer several locations so you can receive your care closer to home. You benefit from:
- Expertise: Our team includes board-certified radiation oncologists who successfully treat all types of cancer, from common to complex. We work closely with expert medical oncologists, surgeons, nurses, dietitians, and counselors to create a comprehensive, customized care plan for you.
- Tissue-sparing treatments: We combine imaging studies with special software to meticulously plan your care. Our technology is so precise that we can plan treatments around organ movements that occur while you are breathing. We target the tumor with high-energy radiation beams while limiting exposure to nearby healthy tissue.
- High-quality care: Our specialists keep you safe during treatment. Your team includes medical physicists and dosimetrists, who make sure you receive appropriate radiation doses in just the right spot. Our physicists and dosimetrists regularly meet with our radiation oncologists so they can track your progress and make changes when needed.
- Comfort: Staying still during treatment may be difficult if you are recovering from surgery or have other medical conditions. We place you in the most comfortable position possible that will allow for accurate delivery of treatment. If you have breast cancer, we provide a customizable device that takes the pressure off your shoulders and arms.
- Supportive therapies: We do everything possible to minimize side effects. But if you experience problems, we’re ready to help. Physical therapy and pain management can help you get relief. Find out more about supportive care and services.
- Nurse navigators: Our nurse navigators help you through your treatment by coordinating your appointments and answering your questions. And if you need additional tests, we explain why and help you arrange them.
Innovative Radiation Oncology Options
Our highly experienced team of radiation oncologists delivers safe, effective radiation therapy. We have the state's most experienced CyberKnife® team, and we offer specialized treatments based on different cancer types. Our radiation oncology services include:
Brachytherapy
During an outpatient procedure, our radiation oncologists insert a tube that temporarily places radioactive “seeds” inside or near the cancer cells. We remove the seeds and the tube immediately following the procedure.
We use brachytherapy to treat gynecologic cancers and prostate cancer. This is also called internal radiation therapy because the radiation therapy source is placed inside your body.
You receive care from radiation oncologists with fellowship training in brachytherapy. We also offer a dedicated brachytherapy suite.
What to Expect with External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT)
External beam radiation therapy is another type of radiation oncology. It is the most common type of radiation therapy. A machine called a linear accelerator works from outside your body to deliver the radiation beams to the tumor. We take the time to explain your treatment and answer your questions. If you need external beam radiation therapy, you:
- Get information: Receive information about your treatment type and schedule from your radiation oncology team.
- Go to your appointment: Go to your radiation therapy appointments wearing loose, comfortable clothing. You will likely have daily appointments Monday through Friday for a few weeks.
- Lie on a table: Lie still on a table while the linear accelerator moves around you and targets the tumor. Your care team will help you find a position that is as comfortable as possible while still delivering radiation accurately.
- Stay still: Stay in the same position while your team directs the radiation therapy at the tumor. You won’t feel the radiation beams going into your body, and your appointments are not painful. Depending on your radiation therapy method, your treatment may take two to 30 minutes.
- Go home: You can go home after your treatment. Ask your provider whether you need someone to drive you home.
Types of EBRT We Offer
We offer many types of EBRT. The type you receive depends on your diagnosis, tumor location and other factors. Your cancer team will discuss the treatments with you, so you understand the next steps. Types of EBRT available include:
The CyberKnife Radiosurgery System is a painless, non-invasive alternative to surgery for the treatment of both cancerous and non-cancerous tumors. The CyberKnife system enables our radiation oncologists to deliver high doses of radiation with pinpoint accuracy to a broad range of tumors throughout the body, including those that are difficult to reach or are inoperable.
How CyberKnife Works
Using x-ray technology and advanced robotics, The CyberKnife system can deliver radiation beams from virtually any direction.
A linear accelerator is mounted to a flexible, robotic arm that can move around the patient in nearly a 360 degree arc. Multiple beams of radiation target the exact shape and location of the tumor. This allows for precise targeting and sparing healthy surrounding tissue.
The CyberKnife system’s continual image guidance software allows for the delivery of high radiation doses with pinpoint accuracy, while automatically correcting for patient movement such as breathing. Since radiation beams adjust in real-time to patient and tumor movement, there is less damage to surrounding healthy tissue.
This also limits the need for body stabilizing frames or breathing techniques that are often used during conventional radiation therapy, thus providing a more comfortable experience for the patient.
Is CyberKnife Right for Me?
The CyberKnife System can be used to treat many cancerous and non-cancerous tumors throughout the body. At Mercy Health Lacks Cancer Center, we are currently using CyberKnife to treat certain:
- Brain and spinal tumors
- Liver cancer
- Lung cancer
- Prostate cancer
A physician referral is required for CyberKnife treatment.
Trinity Health Michigan was an early adopter of IGRT. With this technique, our radiation oncologists get a detailed, 3D image right before your radiation treatment begins. We use these updated images to deliver highly precise radiation while avoiding healthy tissue.
We use sophisticated computers and precise alignment devices to deliver high-intensity radiation with pinpoint precision. IMRT can treat cancers that are otherwise difficult to target with radiation therapy, such as brain, prostate, and head and neck cancers. IMRT allows our radiation oncologists to deliver a higher dose of radiation while sparing surrounding tissue. You can receive IMRT during an outpatient appointment. Most people have fewer side effects than with traditional radiation.
Optune® is a common treatment for glioblastoma, a fast-growing brain tumor. You wear a battery-powered, cap-like device that creates electrical activity outside your brain. The electrical impulses interrupt cancer cell growth.
RapidArc® radiotherapy technology offers all the benefits of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) in much shorter treatment times. Often, we can deliver your precise treatment in two minutes or less.
Lung, breast, and abdominal tumors can move as you breathe. This movement means that traditional radiation therapy methods may accidentally target surrounding tissue. With respiratory gating, our experts map out a window for the tumor. Then, we only deliver radiation when the tumor is in the right place. Our team combines respiratory gating with IMRT for high levels of accuracy. This treatment may require fewer visits than traditional radiation therapy.
Stereotactic radiosurgery is an alternative to more invasive surgery for some types of brain tumors. This technique targets abnormal tissues in the brain without affecting the surrounding healthy tissue. We perform stereotactic radiosurgery by combining IMRT with MRI or CT imaging to deliver precise, 3D treatment. Trinity Health Michigan was the first center in West Michigan to perform stereotactic radiosurgery using precision IMRT. Our physicists, radiation oncologists and neurosurgeons pioneered stereotactic radiosurgery that does not require an invasive frame (halo) on the head. Instead, you wear a comfortable, custom-fitted mask.
SBRT is like stereotactic radiosurgery but treats cancers in areas other than the brain. We use multiple radiation beams and detailed imaging to deliver highly precise treatment. Our team treats several types of cancer with SBRT, including lung, liver and pancreatic cancers.
TomoTherapy® uses imaging to deliver precise radiation beams to the tumor from every possible angle. Our radiation oncologists use TomoTherapy to provide high doses of radiation without damaging healthy tissue. Our Lacks Cancer Center is a Center of Excellence by TomoTherapy, joining the ranks of other highly respected cancer centers in the country.
TrueBeam™ delivers high doses of radiation with accuracy down to fractions of millimeters. Our radiation oncology team narrowly targets tumors and avoids surrounding healthy tissues with this technique. Treatments take just five to 20 minutes per day.
VMAT delivers radiation with beams that change shape and intensity while rotating around your body. These beams help minimize radiation to healthy tissue and deliver appropriate doses to the tumor. You receive treatments in less time — sometimes just one minute — and with lower doses of radiation.
Managing Cancer Center Costs
Many people require radiation treatments five days a week for several weeks. You may also experience side effects, such as tiredness, that interfere with daily life. If you are worried about these problems affecting your ability to pay your bills or go to work, we can help. Read more about cancer financial navigators.