If you are going in to meet with a radiation oncologist as part of your treatment plan for esophageal cancer, there are certain things you want to be sure of before starting the treatment process. Dr. Karyn Goodman, vice chair for research and quality in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Mount Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine, tells SurvivorNet that one of the first things to ask about is their area of expertise.
“Some radiation oncologists are more general and they treat all types of cancers,” Dr. Goodman says.
Read More “In many larger academic institutions, the radiation oncologists specialize in certain areas, such as gastrointestinal cancers or breast cancer. I think for something like esophageal cancer which tends to be one of the rarer cancers and does require some expertise in terms of how to deliver the radiation in a way that’s very safe and effective I think it’s very important to find out whether somebody has a lot of experience treating esophageal cancer,” she adds. Patients with esophageal cancer may get a combination of treatments radiation and chemotherapy together, for example. The treatment approach really depends on symptoms and severity.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
Once you are comfortable with your radiation oncologist, Dr. Goodman recommends asking a few more questions to prepare before treatment starts, including:- What is the overall treatment process like?
- What can I do to plan for radiation?
- What sort of side effects should I be aware of?
- Should I be on any medication while getting radiation?
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.