Radiotherapy is often used following surgery mostly for the treatment of malignant tumours although it can occasionally be used to treat benign tumours

Careful planning will take place to ensure that the correct area is treated. A mask may be made beforehand to make treatment more accurate. This will take several visits to the radiology department as the mask is made in 2 halves; the back and the front. A  plaster of paris mould is made first, cling film is laid over the skin and hair to stop it sticking to the skin. This only takes about 10 minutes to begin to set at which point it is taken off. 

Using the plaster of paris mould the mask is then made of a rigid, clear perspex and surrounds the head, it fits snuggly and holes are left for the eyes, nose and mouth. It holds the head very still and marks are made on it rather than on the patients skin to ensure the same area is treated each time. Some of the patients hair may need to be cut short to help the mask to fit perfectly.

It is hoped that radiotherapy will damage or destroy the tumour to slow its growth and lenghten the time before regrowth. In some cases it may cure the tumour.

The procedure is painless and involves lying on a specially designed table for a few minutes. The usual pattern of treatment is to recieve between 4 and 6 weeks of daily radiotherapy possibly as an outpatient.

The side effects are a temporary worsening of symptoms such as headache or nausea and inflammation of the skin which will lead to temporary hair loss. Some people will feel tired especially nearing the end of treatment.

Before radio therapy begins you will meet with the Consultant who will be planning your treatment. This will give you the opportunity to ask any questions you may have about your treatment. It may be a good idea to compile a list of questions before hand which you can then take with you to your appointment (it can be quite overwhelming when you are in the consultants office).

Some questions you may ask -

• What are the benefits of radiotherapy?
• What would happen if I did not have the treatment?
• What part of my head will receive the treatment?
• What can I do to prevent side-effects?
• Can I still work while receiving treatment?
• How will I know if it is successful?

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