Radiation oncology treatments
UK Radiation Oncology is a nationally recognized leader in the field of radiation oncology. Our faculty participates in and plays a leadership role in national clinical trials for cancer therapies. The department provides the most advanced radiation therapies available that help treat cancer and maintain our patients' quality of life.
Our clinical trials allow many patients to take advantage of groundbreaking investigative therapies.
Radiation therapy is a commonly used type of cancer treatment. Our physicians use it to kill cancer cells, shrink tumors, and treat other symptoms caused by cancer. UK Radiation Oncology offers several types of cutting-edge radiation therapies—some of which are not available anywhere else in Kentucky.
Learn more about these treatments below.
External beam radiation
This type of radiation therapy is delivered outside of your body by a machine called a linear accelerator, which emits high-energy x-rays.
Conventional/3D-conformal radiation therapy
This type of radiation directs the appropriate dose of radiation to the cancer, while using detailed imaging and block design to spare the surrounding healthy tissue.
Learn more about conventional/3D-conformal radiation therapy.
Intensity-modulated radiation therapy
This type of radiation is able to protect the normal, healthy tissue and the critical tissues around the tumor so that your physician can deliver a high dose of radiation more precisely to the cancer and minimize side effects from the treatment.
Stereotactic radiosurgery
This type of radiation therapy is used to treat brain and other tumors and conditions inside the head and spine.
Stereotactic body radiation therapy
Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is used to treat tumors outside of the brain and spine. It accurately delivers very high doses of radiation to the tumor in few treatments (one to five) while limiting the impact on nearby healthy tissue.
Spatially fractionated radiotherapy (GRID Therapy)
GRID therapy is a type of radiation therapy administered, sometimes in conjunction with conventional/3D-conformal radiation therapy. It is used to treat almost all types of cancers for which conventional radiation therapy alone is not enough.
Total body irradiation therapy
Total body irradiation (TBI) is used in combination with chemotherapy to prepare patients with leukemia for stem cell and bone marrow transplant.
Total skin electron irradiation therapy
Total skin electron irradiation (TSEI) is a treatment for a rare, generally incurable type of lymphoma called mycosis fungoides.
Brachytherapy
Brachytherapy is a technique used to place radiation materials inside or next to the organ affected by cancer or in the tumor itself.
Brachytherapy for gynecologic cancer
Our UK Radiation Oncology physicians are highly experienced in using brachytherapy to treat gynecologic cancers.
Brachytherapy for prostate cancer
Our UK Radiation Oncology physicians are highly experienced in using brachytherapy to treat prostate cancers.
Systemic radiation therapy
Systemic radiation therapy is radiation in liquid form that is injected into the vein or swallowed and travels through the body to target cancer cells.