Who gives radiation treatments?

During your radiation therapy, you will be cared for by a team of medical professionals. Some of the people who may be on that team are listed here.

• A radiation oncologist is a doctor specially trained to treat cancer with radiation. This doctor will make many of the decisions regarding your treatment.
• The radiation physicist makes sure that the radiation equipment is working the way it should and that it delivers the dose of radiation prescribed by your doctor.
• The dosimetrist helps the doctor plan and calculate the needed number of treatments. The dosimetrist is supervised by the radiation physicist.
• The radiation therapist or radiation therapy technologist operates the radiation equipment and positions you for treatment.
• A radiation therapy nurse is a registered nurse with special training in cancer treatment. He or she will be able to give you information about your radiation treatment and advice on how to deal with any side effects you might have.

You also may need the services of a dietitian, a physical therapist, a social worker, a dentist, a dental oncologist, or other health care professionals.