During the procedure
External-beam radiation therapy: You may be asked to change into a hospital gown and lie on a treatment table. The entire process can take about 30 minutes and is often done by a radiation therapist. You will be asked to sit very still and the body mold or head mask may be put in place. The therapist may place shields on you to protect healthy tissue from radiation damage. The radiation machine will move around you and will generate clicking or vacuuming sounds. It is important to stay relaxed during your session. Your radiation therapist will be monitoring you in another room.
Brachytherapy: This procedure may take several hours and is usually performed in a hospital under anesthesia. A radioactive substance will be implanted into your body by a doctor. The implants may be temporary or permanent.
Systemic radiation therapy: The radiation will either be injected into you or be given to you to swallow. You may have to stay in the hospital for several days as a precautionary measure since you will have radiation in your body. You may feel a slight prick when the needle is inserted into your skin, but the process is not painful in general.
After the procedure
You may begin to experience the side effects of radiation therapy after the procedure. External-beam radiation therapy does not make you radioactive and you can resume normal activities. For systemic radiation, the radioactive substances in your body can be found in your saliva, sweat, and other secretions a few days after treatment. Your doctor may want you to stay in the hospital during this time so that people around you are not exposed to the radiation.
You may also need to stay in the hospital and limit visitors (no pregnant women or children) during treatment with temporary brachytherapy implants. With permanent implants, the risk of exposing others to radiation is quite low. However, your doctor may recommend that you stay away from pregnant women and children for a short time after you get the implants.
You will need to have regular visits with your doctor and other specialists to monitor your progress after radiation therapy. Your doctor may want to run additional tests to see if the treatment was effective.