"Radiation has always been a little scary to me, but the fact that the technicians could stay in the room with me during treatment increased my comfort tremendously. And 5 days of treatment instead of the 33 I needed for my first lumpectomy? What a relief!"

— Sandra W.

Specialists Who May Be Involved with Your Treatment

Anesthesiologist: Administers drugs or gasses, which put you to sleep before surgery.

Dermatologist: A doctor specializing with the skin and its diseases.

Gynecologist: A doctor specializing in the health of the female reproductive system.

Medical Oncologist: A doctor who administers anti-cancer drugs or chemotherapy.

Nurse Practitioner: This is a nurse with advanced training. He or she can take your medical history, do physical exams, order tests, manage side effects, and closely watch your response to treatment. After you are finished with radiation therapy, your nurse practitioner may see you for follow-up visits to check for late side effects and assess how well the radiation has worked.

Pathologist: A doctor who examines the tissue removed during a biopsy, and issues a report to tell you and your doctor the most effective treatment.

Personal Physician: The doctor who will be responsible for coordinating your treatment. Your personal physician may be a surgeon, radiation oncologist, gynecologist, dermatologist, medical oncologist or family physician.

Plastic Surgeon: A doctor specializing in cosmetic surgery, such as a breast reconstruction after mastectomy.

Radiation Oncologist: This is a doctor who specializes in using radiation therapy to treat cancer. He or she prescribes how much radiation you will receive, plans how your treatment will be given, closely follows you during your course of treatment, and prescribes care you may need to help with side effects.

Radiation Nurse: This person provides nursing care during radiation therapy, working with all the members of your radiation therapy team. He or she will talk with you about your radiation treatment and help you manage side effects.

Radiation Therapist: This person works with you during each radiation therapy session. He or she positions you for treatment and runs the machines to make sure you get the dose of radiation prescribed by your radiation oncologist.

Social Worker: A trained professional who can deal with social and economic aspects of treatment, such as helping find a support group or solving an insurance issue.

Surgeon: A doctor specializing in surgery who will do the initial operation on the cancer.

References

National Cancer Institute (Questions and Answers About Radiation Therapy), accessed on May 11, 2009.

Vladimir Lange, M.D. Be a Survivor: Your Guide to Breast Cancer Treatment. 4th ed. Los Angeles, CA: Lange Productions; 2007.