Radiation Therapy
Your cancer care plan may include radiation therapy—one of the most effective and widely used treatments for cancer. At William R. Bliss Cancer Center in Ames, Iowa, you’ll receive care from a team accredited by the American College of Radiation Oncology (ACRO) for providing superior, evidence-based radiation therapy.
What is Radiation Therapy?
Radiation therapy uses high-energy beams—such as X-rays or proton rays—to destroy cancer cells and shrink tumors. Your doctor may recommend radiation therapy on its own or in combination with surgery and chemotherapy.
External Beam Radiation Therapy
The most common type of radiation treatment is external beam radiation, delivered by advanced technology like a linear accelerator. You’ll lie on a treatment table while the machine delivers precise radiation beams to your tumor. Treatment typically occurs five times per week over several weeks.
At Bliss Cancer Center, you’ll benefit from our TrueBeam® linear accelerator, which delivers powerful, image-guided radiation therapy designed for faster, safer, and more effective cancer treatment—even for hard-to-reach tumors.
Customized, Targeted Radiation Therapy
Trust our expert team to use targeted radiation therapy in Iowa to protect surrounding healthy tissue while maximizing treatment effectiveness. Options may include:
- 3D conformal radiation therapy (CRT) – Shapes the radiation beams to match the tumor’s size and location
- Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) – Uses real-time imaging to track the tumor’s movement during treatment
- Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) – Delivers high-dose radiation precisely to the tumor while sparing nearby tissue
- Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) – Offers 1 to 5 focused treatments for lung, abdominal, or pelvic tumors
- Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) – Used for brain tumors, SRS delivers high-dose, pinpoint radiation in up to 5 sessions using advanced systems like CyberKnife® or Gamma Knife®
- Volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) – Rotates the beam around you for shorter treatment sessions and increased precision
Internal Radiation (Brachytherapy)
Internal radiation, or brachytherapy, involves placing a small radioactive pellet directly into or near your tumor. This high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy is ideal for treating:
Because it targets a small, specific area, brachytherapy often causes fewer side effects than external radiation therapy.
Radiopharmaceutical Therapy
Your care team may also recommend radiopharmaceuticals, which are radioactive medicines used to treat metastatic cancer (cancer that has spread). These medicines are usually delivered as an injection and can target cancer cells throughout the body.
