Radiotherapy treatment pathway

Radiotherapy treatment pathway

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What is Radiotherapy?

Radiotherapy, also known as radiation therapy, is a medical treatment that uses high doses of radiation to kill or damage cancer cells. The primary goal is to shrink tumours and destroy cancer cells while minimising damage to surrounding healthy tissue.

Radiotherapy works by damaging the DNA inside the cells. Cancer cells are particularly sensitive to radiation because they tend to divide rapidly and may not be as effective at repairing DNA damage. Normal cells can also be affected by the radiation, but they usually recover better than cancer cells.

For more information on Radiotherapy, please click here that will take you to the Leeds Cancer Centre website.

You can also find online patient information booklets in the ‘Useful Resources’ section of this page below.

The Radiotherapy Department:

  • Open Monday – Friday 8am – 6pm (excluding bank holidays)
  • Located on level -2 in Bexley Wing, St James’s University Hospital
  • For general enquiries, call the radiotherapy reception desk on: 0113 206 8940 or 0113 206 8956

The Brachytherapy department

  • Located on level -1, Bexley Wing, St James’s University Hospital
  • General brachytherapy enquiries: 0113 206 7808

Planning for Radiotherapy and travel

If you have been referred for radiotherapy, you will have your treatment at the Leeds Cancer Centre’s Radiotherapy Department. This department is one of the largest and most advanced radiotherapy centres in the UK.

Depending on where your cancer tumour is, you will have treatment either on an outpatient basis or as a day case.

The Radiotherapy department is located on level -2 in Bexley Wing at St James’s University Hospital.

For more information on travelling to the department by car, hospital or public transport, please click here.

The video provides an overview of what to expect when you go to your radiotherapy appointments. This video has been created by the Leeds Radiotherapy Team.

External Beam Radiotherapy (EBRT): This is the most common type, where radiation is delivered outside the body using a machine called a linear accelerator.

Internal Radiotherapy (Brachytherapy): In this approach, a radioactive source is placed directly inside or very close to the tumour. This allows for a higher dose of radiation to be delivered directly to the tumour with less impact on surrounding healthy tissues.

Curative: To treat and potentially cure the cancer

Palliative: To shrink tumours and relieve symptoms, especially in advanced cancer

Adjuvant: After surgery or chemotherapy, to help reduce the risk of cancer coming back

External beam radiotherapy (EBRT) treatment pathways

External beam radiotherapy (EBRT) is the most common type of treatment for various kinds of cancer. The radiation is delivered from a machine called a linear accelerator.

During treatment, therapeutic radiographers will help position you on the treatment bed. Once you’re correctly positioned, they’ll leave the room but will continue to monitor you closely. A scan will be performed to confirm your position before the radiotherapy begins.

The treatment itself is painless and usually takes just a few minutes. Importantly, it does not make you radioactive, so it’s perfectly safe to be around friends and family, including children, throughout your treatment.

Treatment pathways for:

For more information on other radiotherapy treatment pathways, please click here

Brachytherapy (internal radiotherapy) treatment pathways

Brachytherapy is a type of radiotherapy treatment in which small sealed amounts of radiation are placed inside your body to treat your cancer.

Sometimes this type of treatment is given in isolation, or can be used in combination with external beam radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Each treatment is personalised for every patient and their tumour. Your treatment will be unique to you.

Brachytherapy is mainly used to treat prostate and gynaecological cancers. It may also be used to treat some oesophageal, rectal and skin cancers as well.

For more information on Brachytherapy, please click here.

Useful resources:

Cervical brachytherapy

Prostate brachytherapy

Oesophageal brachytherapy

Support for patients and families • Radiotherapy UK

For more information on available support, please click here that will take you to our ‘managing the effects of cancer and treatment’ page.