Patient Guide
El personal de Radioterapia Siglo XXI le da la bienvenida y reafirma el compromiso de velar por la atención oportuna de su enfermedad.
Our professionals and in general the work team, we take the time to listen to you, explain each process and we understand very well the value of empathy and respect for each person's religious and political beliefs.
We hope that during your treatment, you feel our support and that we can help make your experience as pleasant as possible. Below we present this small Guide, with the primary objective that you know in detail what the radiant treatment consists of in each of its stages and the specialists involved in them.
Rest assured that you have come to the right place and that you will have the best possible treatment, as well as a group of people who will be in the best position to contribute to your well-being.
Information of interest
La Radioterapia es la utilización de radiaciones de alta energía para el tratamiento de lesiones de variado origen. Los rayos que se utilizan para tratamientos son ondas electromagnéticas, al igual que la de los equipos para hacer radiografías, pero de mayor energía.
El equipo utilizado para Radioterapia es el Acelerador Lineal. En nuestro centro contamos con el modelo Trilogy de Varian, de última tecnología.
Learn more about Varian's Trilogy team.
In the first appointment, the radiation oncologist will evaluate your clinical background and prepare the Clinical History, taking into account all the information that you provide from the referring doctors.
Sometimes it will be necessary to repeat diagnostic studies or request additional ones.
Durante esta consulta se te explicará con detalle el tratamiento que vas a recibir, así como el tiempo estimado de duración total (días, semanas, meses), posibles efectos secundarios y el manejo de los mismos.
Once your appointment with the doctor is finished, you will be assigned the day to undergo the Computed Tomography (CT) procedure, Magnetic Resonance when required and Simulation Scan.
The Simulation: it is a preparatory study for the treatment. It is carried out by means of a Tomograph where the doctor and the radiation therapist define exactly the treatment area.
With all the data obtained in the simulator and your clinical history, the radiation oncologist and the medical physicist will define the most appropriate treatment.
El tratamiento se realizará habitualmente de forma diaria de lunes a viernes y la duración dependerá de cada caso. El horario de tratamiento será el acordado por el paciente y los radioterapeutas encargados de operar el equipo.
Nuestros imagenólogos son los encargados de colocar al paciente en la mesa de tratamiento diariamente y utilizarán el o los tatuajes que se realizaron en la simulación como guía para la orientación del haz de radiación, además del uso de la tecnología IGRT (Radioterapia Guiada por Imágenes) que permite a través de la tomografía computarizada colocarlo en la posición exacta para irradiar solo la zona definida. El proceso del Tratamiento de Radioterapia se puede dividir en tres etapas:
A. Before
B. During treatment
C. After treatment
A. BEFORE
Un imagenólogo lo recibirá y lo trasladará al área de Tomografía, donde se le confeccionarán y/o aplicarán los respectivos dispositivos de inmovilización que requiera para su tratamiento.
Next, a CT scan will be performed in the area to be treated previously established by your physician; this scan will help to plan your treatment in the most efficient and precise way.
Tomography is a very fast procedure, in most cases it does not exceed more than a few minutes. It is a painless procedure.
Luego de la tomografía computarizada, el encargado del tratamiento realizará unos pequeños tatuajes de referencia en su cuerpo o en el dispositivo inmovilizador con una tinta de color semipermanente, que servirá para posicionarlo correctamente en el equipo de tratamiento. Tenga cuidado al bañarse porque las marcas NO deben borrarse hasta que termine su tratamiento. Si comienzan a borrarse, comuníquese con el radioterapeuta para que las vuelva a marcar. Cada día se le colocará de la misma forma en que se realizó la tomografía de planeación inicial.
With the results of the simulation and your medical history, the radiation oncologist, the medical physicist, and the dosimetrist will analyze how much radiation is needed, how it should be administered and in how many sessions it will be applied. This process takes several days.
"The success of Radiotherapy lies in being able to reproduce the defined position in this first step on a daily basis"
B. DURING TREATMENT
Estimated Duration Time: 10 to 20 minutes (Except the first day of treatment, which will be 15 to 25 minutes)
The treatment will usually be carried out on a daily basis from Monday to Friday. Rest during the weekend allows normal cells to recover.
La duración del mismo dependerá del criterio del médico tratante, considerando el tamaño y la localización de la lesión, el tipo de tumor, su estado general de salud y cualquier otro tratamiento que esté recibiendo. Todos los tratamientos son diferentes, así que no se sorprenda si ve a otros pacientes con esquemas totalmente diferentes al suyo. Antes de irradiar el paciente será colocado en la misma posición en la que se realizó la tomografía computarizada, se verificará el área a tratar mediante imágenes digitales obtenidas desde la consola de tratamiento (Área de Computadoras)
The equipment will move around you to locate the place or places where the treatment will be applied During each treatment session, you stay in the room for 10 to 20 minutes, but the radiation dose only lasts for 1 to 5 minutes.
Los imagenólogos abandonan la sala de tratamiento antes de aplicar la radiación, la cual se realiza desde computadoras ubicadas fuera del búnker.
* Aunque se sienta solo dentro del búnker, recuerde que podrá ser escuchado y visto todo el tiempo y también puede recibir instrucciones a través de un altavoz durante su tratamiento de manera continua desde la consola de control.
You will quickly become familiar with your treatment routine; please note that although each session lasts approximately 5-10 minutes, you will spend 30-40 minutes at the Medical Center between your arrival and departure.
C. AFTER TREATMENT
Keep the same cares, recommendations and restrictions that you had during your treatment for up to 30 or 60 days after your last radiotherapy session.
Radiation, used precisely at the appropriate levels, destroys the ability of damaged cells to grow and reproduce.
This radiation treatment fulfills the function of reducing the injury or of preventing some cells remaining after surgery from growing again.
"EVERYTHING is POSSIBLE to the extent that YOU BELIEVE it is POSSIBLE"
You can continue with your normal routine. Don't strain yourself. Each patient's body reacts differently to radiotherapy, for this reason the doctor plan the treatment individually for each patient.
He may suggest that you limit certain activities, such as sports, as appropriate. You will need to take good care of your body during the course of treatment to protect your health and help the process to be successful.
Here are some tips to remember:
Make sure you get enough rest. Sleep as often as necessary. Your body will need a lot more energy and you may feel a bit tired.
Good nutrition is essential: Try to eat a balanced diet to avoid losing or gaining weight. The nurse will indicate the appropriated diet according to your irradiated area.
Avoid wearing tight clothing such as girdles or tight collars over the treatment area. It's better to wear clothes that are comfortable and that you can wash or even dispose if it gets stained with ink.
Be extremely careful with the skin in the treatment area. Do not use soaps, lotions, deodorants, perfumes, cosmetics, powder or any other product in this area, without first checking with your doctor or nurse.
Do not apply heat or cold to the treatment area. Only use warm water to wash the area as you could injure your skin.
Protect the treatment area from the sun, if possible cover the skin with light clothing or wear a hat. Continue to protect your skin from the sun with a good sunscreen for at least one year after completing radiotherapy.
"Do not expose the treated area to the sun"
The collateral effects that may occur are different depending on the treated area. Your doctor will explain those that apply to your particular treatment.
- Radiotherapy: IS NOT PAINFUL.
- You ARE NOT RADIOACTIVE after or during treatment.
- You are not a threat to the health of your family, friends or pets.
- You DO NOT LOSE YOUR HAIR, unless the irradiation is applied to the head area.
- If you are PREGNANT, think you may be, or become pregnant during radiation treatment you should report this immediately.
- It is important that you remain STILL during the short application time.
You can attend your appointments accompanied by a person, if required. To avoid crowds in the waiting rooms, it is NOT advisable to attend with more than 1 companion or with children.
We kindly ask you to arrive at the Medical Center 10 minutes before the time indicated; in case of being late, it will cause delays in the treatment of other patients who arrive on time. In case of not being able to attend the appointment, you must notify the telephones: 2290-3447, 2290-3475, 2290-3481 and request a new appointment.
Take medications prescribed by your doctor only.
If you have any questions, please ask your radiation therapist, your nurse or treating physician. They are the only ones who can advise you on your treatment, side effects, home care, and any other medical concerns you may have.
El equipo profesional de este Centro Médico está conformado por Oncólogos Imagenólogos, Físicos Médicos, Ingenieros, Dosimetristas, Radioterapeutas, Enfermeras y un grupo de apoyo administrativo. Cada uno de ellos cumple un rol durante el transcurso de su tratamiento, desde la indicación de la cantidad y tipo de radiación, equipo a utilizar, su ubicación diaria en la mesa de tratamiento hasta la logística de atención al cliente. Todos estos profesionales trabajan en conjunto para brindar excelencia a su tratamiento. Al colaborar con ellos, usted puede ayudarlos a lograr mejores resultados.
