Radiation Oncology

On-site External Beam Radiation Therapy

Each year, Rush-Copley physicians and staff offer more than 10,000 radiation treatments. For patient convenience, radiation therapy is offered on-site by caregivers the patient has already come to know. This eliminates the patient's need to drive to multiple sites to complete the treatment plan. The Center's linear accelerator, fitted with a mulit-leaf collimater, is state-of-the-art making it possible to bombard tumors with high-level radiation in three dimensions. We were the first center on the Fox Valley to offer Intensity Modylated Radiation Thrapy (IMRT).

The goal of radiation therapy, and especially IMRT,  is to deliver a precisely measured dose of radiation to a defined tumor volume with minimal damage to surrounding normal tissue, resulting in eradication of the tumor, a higher quality of life, and prolongation of survival.

Radioactive Seed Implant Therapy (brachytherapy)

Brachytherapy, also known as seed implants, is the implanting of radioactive sources directly in and around a cancerous tumor. These radioactive "seeds" are actually tiny metallic cylinders that contain a radioactive material such as palladium or iodine -125.

This technique, available at the Rush-Copley Cancer Care Center, allows the delivery of a highly concentrated and locally confined dose of radiation. When used to treat prostate and gynecologic cancers, the radiation kills the cancer while sparing the colon, bladder, and other surrounding organs from excessive radiation. Brachytherapy may be used alone, or with external beam radiation or hormone therapy, depending on the stage of cancer.

Vascular Brachytherapy

The Rush-Copley Heart Institute and Cancer Care Center offer patients access to a procedure that utilizes the power of radiation to help reduce the chance of recurring coronary blockages. Rush-Copley Medical Center is the first in the greater Fox Valley to offer the procedure -- vascular brachytherapy.

Vascular brachytherapy is made possible through the teamwork of the cardiology as the radiation oncology departments. The physicians use radiation to destroy scar tissue and inhibit the overgrowth of normal tissue as the healing process occurs following angioplasty or stent placement. Studies show that with brachytherapy, there is a 36 to 66 percent lower incidence of a renarrowing of the vessel.