Safety Before All Else
The continued health, comfort and well being of every patient are the first
priorities of all the physicians and staff in the radiation oncology department
at Torrance Memorial. To that effect, the quality and safety of each procedure
performed in the department is checked numerous times to assure the best
possible outcomes. All physicians, therapists, physicists, dosimetrists
and staff are certified and trained specifically in providing you or a
loved one the best in radiation treatment and supportive care.
Quality Assurance
Every aspect of your treatment planning and delivery is given meticulous
attention so that you are treated efficiently and accurately, with as
few side effects as possible.
Torrance Memorial physicists, dosimetrist and radiation therapists conduct
daily, weekly and monthly checks on our equipment to ensure optimum performance.
Our medical physicists only accept a variation of 2% or less in the output
of our linear accelerators and other radiation treatment equipment.
We also have a weekly quality assurance meeting, with the physicians, nurses,
physicists, dosimetrist, and head therapists. We review each and every
patient's treatment in detail. This meeting supplements the review
of your total therapy at the Torrance Memorial Tumor Board - collaboration
between the many members of your cancer care team.
Monitoring your progress and health during treatment is an important part
of your treatment. Exact records are kept of your condition, the progress
of your treatment, and the location and dose of radiation you receive.
These records are checked daily to judge the effectiveness and continued
safety of your treatment. You will also be assessed daily by your therapists
while on treatment, and weekly by your radiation oncologist, to help manage
any side effects.
Adverse Effects
The negative consequences of radiation treatment vary widely depending
on the treatment site, the dose delivered, and patients' pre-existing
conditions. Your radiation oncologist, nurse and therapist will discuss
the likely side effects of your particular treatment with you.
A dietician and radiation oncology nurses trained in the specific needs
of cancer patients are available to help you cope with any potential side
effects - including emotional support to free your energy for quality healing.