What to Expect

Once a diagnosis of cancer has been made, you will probably talk with your primary care physician along with several cancer specialists, such as a surgeon, a medical oncologist and a radiation oncologist. You will want to ask these doctors about all your treatment options.

In many cases, your cancer will need to be treated by using more than one type of treatment. For example, if you have lymphoma, you might receive chemotherapy or targeted therapy (by a medical oncologist) which can be followed by radiation therapy to destroy any remaining cancer cells (by a radiation oncologist). Certain types of lymphoma can be treated with either systemic therapy or radiation therapy on their own

After reviewing your medical record including imaging, as well as completing a thorough patient history and physical examination, your radiation oncologist will discuss with you the potential benefits and risks of radiation therapy and answer your questions. View the list of Questions to Ask Your Doctor.