If you have cancer, radiation therapy may play an important role in your care. Cedars‑Sinai Cancer’s Radiation Oncology team is here to help. Our team of oncologists, nurses, radiation therapists, dosimetrists, physicists and other team members work together to design a custom treatment plan for you and your unique cancer to minimize your side effects and help you feel better faster.
Our team has proudly received APEx accreditation from the American Society for Radiation Oncology, which confirms ours commitment to safe, high‑quality care for our patients.
With locations throughout the Los Angeles area, you’re not far away from the expert radiation therapy you need.
Starting Your Care Journey
Understanding Radiation
Radiation therapy is a treatment for cancer. It works by administering radioactive energy that keeps cancer cells from growing and dividing, causing them to die. Each of our patients gets a custom radiation plan to carefully target their cancer while limiting the effects on healthy tissue.
Preparing for Radiation Treatment
Your first appointment with our team is an initial consultation to find out if radiation oncology is appropriate for you. During this meeting you discuss radiation treatment, how it may help you and how to prepare. It’s a good idea to bring someone with you who can help remind you of any questions you have and write down answers to your questions.
If you’re prescribed radiation therapy, your next visit includes a CT simulation scan. You may need to limit food or drink before the simulation. Your care team will let you know how to prepare.
During a CT simulation scan:
- You may receive an intravenous (IV) line with contrast, or you may need to drink a small amount of contrast. Contrast helps certain areas of your body show up more clearly on the scan.
- You lie on a long and narrow table.
- The radiation therapist positions you in the same way you’ll need to lie during treatment.
- The table slides inside a donut‑shaped machine called a scanner. The machine rotates around you to take images.
- Your radiation therapist may ask you to hold your breath or stay in certain positions during the scan. They may also reposition you.
- We may create a small body or face mold to ensure this correct positioning during your treatment.
After the scan, we place small markings on your skin that help with alignment during treatment. We collect the images and send them to a physicist for planning with your radiation oncologist.
Preparing Your Treatment Plan
What to Expect During Radiation Therapy
Managing Your Condition
Meet Your Care TeamDoctors always use radiation with the utmost caution—and only when the benefit outweighs the risk. For cancer treatment, the radiation oncologist personalizes therapy to ensure the precise amount of radiation is delivered to the intended target while sparing healthy tissue.
— Dr. Benjamin King, radiation oncologist
Highly Ranked in the U.S. for Cancer
Cedars‑Sinai Cancer is proud to be consistently ranked among the best cancer programs in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.
Radiation Oncology Research
Our Radiation Oncology team is working to develop the imaging and radiation methods of the future. Our research seeks to advance the field of radiation therapy through more precise and effective treatments and techniques.
Guarnerio Lab
Scientists in the Guarnerio Lab want to develop a further understanding of molecular and cellular mechanisms of cancer, with the ultimate goal of developing new therapies to improve patient outcomes.
Innovative Training. Elevated Teaching.
Radiation Oncology Residency
Our four‑year residency program provides personalized instruction by expert faculty members, utilizing the most advanced technology and optimizing research opportunities.
Radiation Oncology Medical Physics Residency
Our two‑year program allows residents to train at one of the top hospitals in the country, with eight clinical rotations and optional research opportunities.
Helpful Resources
Get Help Today
Call the Radiation Oncology care team directly at 1‑800-CEDARS-1 ,
Monday‑Friday, 8 am‑5 pm PT.
You can also have us call you back at your convenience.