We accept most major insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid. As a courtesy, all referrals and outpatient test authorizations are obtained by our own insurance specialists. If you have specific insurance questions, please feel free to contact our office at 407-321-3040.

• Your photo ID
• Your insurance card
• A list of current prescriptions and over-the-counter medications you are taking, including dose and frequency
• Pertinent information about your medical and surgical history
• Bring any pertinent x-rays or records you may have

Radiation therapy uses a stream of high-energy particles or waves, such as x-rays or electrons to destroy cancer cells. Other names for radiation therapy include radiotherapy or x-ray therapy. Radiation therapy is one of the most common treatments for cancer and is used in more than half of all cancer cases. It is the primary treatment for many types of cancer. Thousands of people become free of cancer after receiving radiation therapy alone or in combination with surgery, chemotherapy or immunotherapy.

Cancer cells grow and divide more rapidly than many of the normal cells around them. High doses of radiation can kill cells usually by destroying their ability to divide, and it has proven to be particularly effective in killing cancer cells and shrinking tumors. Although some normal cells are affected by radiation, most normal cells recover more fully from the effects of radiation than do cancer cells. When radiation treatments are given for cancer, special care is taken to ensure that as much normal tissue as possible is spared from radiation exposure. The radiation dose is precisely measured and carefully aimed to kill as many cancer cells as possible while sparing normal tissue.

During your radiation therapy, a team of medical professionals will care for you.

The Radiation Oncologist is a physician who specializes in the use of radiation therapy to treat cancer and other diseases and serves as the leader of the team and directs all aspects of the patients’ radiation treatments.

The Radiation Physicist has a degree in medical physics and supervises the technical aspects of radiation treatments; ensuring that the radiation equipment is working properly and gives you the correct dose as prescribed by your radiation oncologist.

The Dosimetrist calculates the dose of radiation given to the patient, using highly advanced computer technology.

The Radiation Therapist operates the machine that administers radiation therapy on a daily basis. Your doctor will not actually administer your radiation treatments on a daily basis, but he or she will actively oversee all aspects of your treatment.

Chemotherapy involves medications given by injections or pills for cancer. This type of treatment is circulated throughout the entire body and is generally prescribed by a medical oncologist. Radiation therapy is x-rays produced by a linear accelerator or a radioactive source and is prescribed by a radiation oncologist. The radiation beams are focused on a very specific area of the body, and thus the effects are highly localized. The radioactive implants are placed inside the affected organ and confine the dose to that area. Unlike chemotherapy, which exposes the entire body to cancer-fighting chemicals, radiation therapy affects only the tumor and the surrounding area.