Your cancer will be treated by a team of medical doctors and highly specialized professionals. The list below details those who they are and the functions they will provide during your treatment.
Oncologist
A physician who oversees the care of each cancer patient undergoing radiation
treatment. They develop and prescribe each cancer patient’s treatment plan and
makes sure that every treatment is accurately given. They also help identify
and treat any side effects of radiation therapy and work closely with other
physicians of the radiation oncology team. Radiation oncologists may also use
ionizing energy to treat diseases other than cancer.
Therapist
A specially trained person who operates the equipment that delivers the radiation.
Radiation therapist work with radiation oncologists and administer the daily
radiation treatment under the doctor’s prescription and supervision. These
are the people you will be seeing on a daily basis for your treatments. They
will provide you with support and help you and your family cope during this
time.
Oncology Nurse
Radiation Oncology Nurses work together with your Radiation Oncologist and
Radiation Therapists to care for you and your family during your radiation treatments.
They will explain the possible side effects you may experience and describe
how you can manage them. In addition, they assess how you are doing throughout
treatment and will help you cope with any changes you may experience.
Dosimetrist
Dosimetrists plan and calculate the proper radiation dose for treatment. Dosimetrists
work under the supervision of the Radiation Oncologist. The Radiation Oncologist
prescribes the proper dose for treatment; the dosimetrists make sure that the
prescribed dose is delivered by the therapy plan.
Physicist (aka Qualified Medical Physicist)
Radiation Physicists work directly with the doctor in the treatment and therapy planning
and delivery. They oversee the work of the dosimetrists and help ensure that
complex treatments are properly tailored for each patient. Radiation Physicists
are responsible for developing and directing quality control programs for equipment
and procedures. They are responsible for making sure the equipment works properly.