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How Does Radiation Work In Lung Cancer Patients?

Radiation therapy (also known as radiotherapy) for lung cancer involves the use of targeted radiation to kill or damage cancer cells so they cannot grow, multiply or spread.

Radiation can be offered on its own, or in combination with other treatments, such as surgery or chemotherapy.

It is important that you speak to your oncologist or healthcare provider to understand what lung cancer treatment options are most appropriate for you. You can also book a free telephone appointment with Lung Foundation Australia’s Lung Cancer Support Nurse.

To find out more or to access life-changing support, connect with Lung Foundation Australia today.

How does radiation work in lung cancer patients? Well, it works in a couple of different ways and it depends on what sort of treatment you’re going to have on the day. And you don’t know until you go through the process and all the rest of it. I’ve had a couple of different sorts. My most recent was called SABR treatment. So, it’s quite precise. It’s if your tumour is two centimetres by two centimetres, that’s all that they take, they don’t take any more than that. It can take up to forty-five minutes. It can take up to an over an hour. It can take two minutes. Like you just don’t know what’s going to happen.

One of the funny things is that they actually put a tattoo on you. So, they can line you up. So, each time you go, they put you in exactly the same position. My mother was horrified that I’d got my tattoo at the age of thirty-eight or thirty-nine years old. So, I thought it was pretty cool, but she didn’t. So, it doesn’t hurt. And if it does, that’s where you speak up and you talk to your radiation oncologist or your medical practitioner whoever’s around you at the time, but it’s probably more mental than anything else when you do the radiation, because, you are there for long periods of time. And so, take an audiobook with you.

That’s what I used to do is take an audiobook, put my plugs in, and then I just listened to that. Or, if it was going to be a shorter period of time to centre myself, or I would give myself five minutes before they enclosed me and whatever they were going to do, or they were going to use the straps to immobilise me so I wouldn’t move around. So, they would do that. And I would just say, “Look, let me centre myself,” and I’d take a couple of deep breaths and then I’d be like, “Okay, let’s do this and we’re good.”

So, it just always make sure that you’re very open with the people around you when you’re talking to them and you know, it does make it easier. They’re there to help you. And they’ll assist you through the journey. Lung Cancer Search and Rescue. Hope in every breath.

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Terry
Terri, 51 QLD
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