Frequently Asked Questions

You probably have many questions about radiation therapy and how the whole treatment process works.  Please check and see if we have answered some of them for you…

1. How do I get referred to Auckland Radiation Oncology (ARO)?

Your surgeon, medical oncologist or GP can refer you to one of our radiation oncologists.  You may also contact us directly and we will put you in touch with a radiation oncologist.  You will be given an appointment time for a first consultation which will take place in the radiation oncologist's rooms.  Instructions will be given to you regarding any information you need to bring with you or any special requirements for this first visit.

2. What happens after I have seen the radiation oncologist?

Your radiation oncologist will notify ARO of your need for radiation therapy after which we will contact you with a time and date for your first visit with us. The timing of this will depend on your status - whether or not we need to wait until your surgery wound heals, your chemotherapy or hormonal therapy is completed, the urgency of your need for therapy etc.

3. How much will I have to pay for a course of radiation therapy?

This will depend on your level of health insurance or whether you have insurance at all.  An estimate of your costs will be provided to you before you begin your course of treatment. We will assist you with gaining approval from your insurance company.

4. What will happen on my first visit to ARO?

You will meet the radiation therapists who will be planning your course of treatment.  They will take you to our pre-treatment area, and will work out how best to position you for your treatments.  This may involve the creation of some immobilisation devices depending on the area to be treated.  They may make small permanent marks on your skin and will take photographs to assist the treatment team in positioning you correctly each day.  They will accompany you to Mercy Radiology where a planning CT scan will be performed to assist the radiation oncologists and radiation therapists in the planning of your treatments.  Please allow 3-4 hours for this first visit to ARO. Find out more about your first visit.

5. How long will my treatment take each day?

Most treatments will be accomplished well within a 30 minute timeframe, but we suggest you allow up to an hour each day in case of delays.

6. How long will my course of treatment be?

Treatment courses last from one day to seven weeks depending on the area of the body being treated and the purpose for treatment.  Your oncologist will explain the length of your treatment course and what that means for you.

7. Will I have treatment on weekends or public holidays?

ARO will be open Monday to Friday and will usually be closed on weekends and public holidays.  There may be some instances where we treat on these days but you will be informed of this well ahead of time.

8. Will I have my treatment at the same time each day?

You will be given a schedule of all your appointments at your first visit.  These will usually be at the same time each day where possible and depending on your own travel arrangements.  You will be asked your preference for appointment times and your needs will be met as much as possible.

9. What happens if I am unable to keep an appointment?

This is not something we encourage but we understand that sometimes it cannot be avoided.  In general, an appointment is added on to the end of your schedule to ensure you receive the prescribed number of treatments and receive the maximum benefit.  If several appointments are missed, you may have extra appointments prescribed.  This is something that needs to be discussed with your radiation oncologist.  We strongly suggest you meet all your appointments if at all possible to ensure the outcome of your course of treatment is not compromised.

10. Where do I park and will I have to pay parking?

Parking is free at ARO.  The construction of our centre included a new parking building.  This has created many more convenient parking spaces for all visitors to the Mercy Hospital campus including ARO.  There will be a drop off point for patients at the front entrance of our building.  If you are driving yourself, you can park in the parking building and take the convenient bridge to the first level of ARO. View ARO's location on a map.

11. Am I able to drive myself to and from my appointments?

If you have a current driver's licence, yes, under most circumstances.  The exception to this will be if you have seizure activity. Please discuss this with your oncologist if you have any questions.

12. How long will I have to wait before I start treatment?

We will endeavour to begin your treatments within a week of your first visit to our centre.  This will be dependent on the complexity of your treatment plan and the way that treatment will be delivered.  Where possible you will be given a schedule of all your appointments at the time of your first visit.

13. Will I see my oncologist while I am receiving treatment?

You will be scheduled to see your oncologist during your course of treatment.  The purpose of these visits is to check that you are coping well with the treatment and to monitor side effects.  Your treatment team of radiation therapists and nurses is also able to assist you on a daily basis.  They will arrange for you to see your oncologist more frequently if necessary.

14. Will I be able to work while I am receiving radiation therapy?

We encourage everyone to live their lives as normally as possible while they are having treatment.   We will do our best to schedule your appointments to allow for this.  Fatigue is a side effect of radiation therapy, so we suggest you take this into account.  Most people can manage this side effect with perhaps a rest during the day and an earlier bedtime.  Some find they need to take a break from work or prefer to stay at home during this time.  Everyone's situation is different and we will work with you to discover what is best for you.  Mild exercise is a good way to manage the effects of radiation therapy fatigue and depending on your circumstances, you may find walking for 30 minutes, three times a week will help you cope with fatigue.

15. Can I continue going to the gym while I am receiving radiation therapy?

This question is best answered by your radiation oncologist on an individual basis.  Generally this should not be a problem if this has been your normal routine.  We do not encourage anyone to start a rigorous exercise regimen if this is new to them.  We do encourage mild exercise if possible, for example walking for 30 minutes, three times per week.  Adding regular exercise to your way of life after you have completed treatment is to be encouraged and should be discussed with your oncologist.

16. Do I need to change my diet when I am receiving radiation therapy?

By all means make healthy diet changes while you are having treatment, but any extreme changes need to be discussed with your oncologist.  We recommend a healthy balanced diet according to established dietary principles.  In a few instances, for example for those patients undergoing radiation therapy for prostate cancer, a special diet will be recommended to you.  This diet is to minimise problems with bowel gas that cause the prostate gland to move during treatment.  This will be explained to you by your oncologist and treatment team.  We do not encourage any efforts to lose weight while you are on treatment.  If you feel you need to lose weight, this can be discussed with your oncologist once you have completed radiation therapy.

17. Am I allowed to drink alcohol while I am having radiation therapy treatments?

This depends on what area of your body is being treated and needs to be discussed with your radiation oncologist.  In certain situations we do not recommend the drinking of alcohol, for instance for those patients  undergoing treatment for head and neck cancers, as this can worsen the side effects.  In general, moderate drinking is not discouraged but please discuss this with your doctor.

18. Will I see or feel anything during my treatment?

Radiation therapy is painless and you will not feel or see the radiation.  It is like having a long x-ray.  The effect of the treatment is accumulative and the side effects can cause you some discomfort over time.  These side effects and the management of them will be discussed with you at the time of your initial consultation with your oncologist. For more information see the Managing Side Effects page.

19. Will my skin burn and blister?

Much research has gone into preventing, minimising and treating the skin effects caused by radiation therapy.  ARO's protocols will reflect this research and we will endeavour to do all we can to prevent and minimise skin reactions.

The level of skin reaction you will experience depends on many different factors.  These include:

• The amount of radiation your oncologist has prescribed for you
• How quickly your radiation oncologist wants that radiation delivered - that is over how many days/weeks
• Where you are being treated, for example, head and neck areas tend to exhibit increased radiation reactions due to skin that has already been damaged over the years by the sun.  Breast patients may find they have an increased reaction under their breast due to the skin surfaces rubbing against each other
• Patients who smoke will usually have worse skin reactions than non-smokers.

You will be provided with information on how to minimise these reactions and help with managing them should they arise.

20. What happens after I finish my course of treatment?

In general, a follow-up appointment will be made for you to see your radiation oncologist a few weeks after you finish your treatment.  Your radiation oncologist will continue to see you every few months on a schedule you will discuss with them and any other specialist that has been involved in your care.

The effect of radiation therapy is accumulative and the treatment will keep on working for some time after you finish. The peak of reactions will generally occur 10-14 days after you finish your radiation therapy.  For this reason you need to continue taking care of yourself, as if you were still on treatment, for a few weeks after your course of treatment ends. Any additional care you may require will be discussed with you and organised before your last day of treatment.

You will also be able to phone the centre to ask for advice and assistance.  In addition to this, a member of your treatment team will phone or email you in the weeks immediately following your treatment course to check that all is well with you.

21. Am I able to have more than one course of radiation therapy?

This is possible under some circumstances and depends on whether or not we are treating the same area as previously and what the total dose was to that area.  This would be discussed with you by your oncologist should the need arise.