Learn about how radiation therapy is used to treat cancer including current treatments and exciting innovations on the horizon. Understand how radiation therapy is used to treat cancer. Radiation therapy is one of the key treatments for cancer. On this course you will learn from healthcare experts about how it works, the various benefits, and myths surrounding radiation therapy. You will also learn about the treatment pathway if you’re prescribed a course of radiaton therapy.
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Throughout the course you will find clear, straightforward information on radiation therapy as a cancer treatment. Finally you will look at the exciting new radiation therapy treatments being developed as a system of ‘personalised medicine’.
The course content is available in English, French, Spanish, Russian, German, Portugese and Italian.
What topics will you cover?
In this course you will:
- Hear stories from patients who have received radiation therapy as part of their treatment.
- Follow radiation therapy from a patient’s first contact with medical professionals, through to treatment and recovery.
- Identify myths and facts related to radiation therapy treatment.
- Discuss the roles of healthcare professionals involved in radiation therapy.
This course is structured into two weeks.
Week 1: Setting the scene for radiation therapy
- Patient pathway to radiation therapy
- Myths and facts
- Who’s who in radiation therapy
Week 2: Science, managing cancers and survivorship
- The science behind radiation therapy
- Treating specific cancers (e.g. head and neck, and prostate cancer)
- After radiation therapy
- New developments in radiation therapy treatments
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Describe the role of radiation oncology in managing cancer
- Identify the steps taken in radiation therapy, from a patient's first contact with medical professionals, through to treatment and recovery
- Recognise the roles of the health care professionals involved in radiation therapy
- Discuss the safe use of radiation therapy in cancer care
- Explain the basic science behind radiation therapy
- Describe state of the art radiation therapy, such as personalised medicine
- Discuss upcoming biological and technological developments in radiation therapy
Who is the course for?
This course is for cancer patients who are likely to undergo radiation therapy as part of their cancer management plan. It will also be of interest for carers, family members and health professionals who may work with cancer patients (for instance physiotherapists, dieticians, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, dentists, nurses and general practitioner or family doctors).
