Your cancer care team will review your case to determine the right treatment or combination of treatments. Radiation oncologists are part of this process. If radiation therapy is being considered for you, you will meet with a radiation oncologist for a consultation. Together, you will discuss the risks and benefits and decide whether to move forward with care.

We offer radiation therapy for a wide range of cancers at Mayo Clinic Health System locations in Wisconsin and Minnesota. For cancers that are rare and highly complex, we provide seamless referral to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

The main types of cancer we treat using radiation therapy include:

• Bone cancer
• Brain and spine tumors
• Breast cancer
• Gastrointestinal cancer (esophageal, stomach, liver, pancreatic, colon, rectal and anal)
• Genitourinary cancer (bladder, kidney, prostate, penile and testicular)
• Gynecologic cancer (cervical, ovarian, endometrial, vaginal and vulvar)
• Head and neck cancer (nose, mouth, throat, voice box, paranasal sinuses and salivary glands)
• Hematologic (blood and immune system)
• Lung cancer
• Sarcoma (soft tissue)
• Skin cancer

In some cases, we also use radiation therapy to treat noncancerous (benign) conditions.

Mayo Clinic Health System offers many types of radiation therapy. Some types are available at Mayo Health Care System locations, while others are offered at Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center in Rochester. Your care team will determine which treatment option is right for you.

Dedicated CT simulator

Using this technology, staff position patients on the CT scanner in the same position they'll be for treatment and perform a scan through the area being treated. Staff then reconstruct that scan three-dimensionally and develop a personalized treatment plan.

Image-guided radiation therapy

Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) uses advanced imaging to plan and deliver treatment to help direct radiation beams to cancerous tumors with precision and accuracy. Radiation oncologists take images before treatment starts and before each session to target the tumor, which optimizes daily treatment and minimizes radiation doses to normal tissue.

3D conformal radiation therapy

3D conformal radiation therapy (3D CRT) uses a computer-generated 3D picture of the tumor to match the radiation beam to the shape of the tumor. Multiple radiation beams are aimed at the tumor from different angles, sparing normal tissue as much as possible.

Intensity modulated radiation therapy

Intensity modulated radiation therapy uses a carefully customized approach that adapts to the shape of a tumor. With IMRT, not only are beams aimed at the tumor from multiple directions to match the tumor shape, the intensity or strength of each beam can be adjusted to minimize the amount of radiation that reaches healthy tissue.

Stereotactic body radiotherapy and stereotactic radiosurgery

Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) uses precisely focused radiation beams to treat specific tumors and other abnormal growths in the spine, liver, lung or other sites. It sometimes is called stereotactic ablative radiotherapy, or SABR. When used on the brain, it often is called stereotactic radiosurgery, or SRS. Computers create 3D images to guide doctors in delivering radiation to the target area with minimal exposure to surrounding healthy tissue. This type of treatment utilizes higher daily doses but a lower number of treatments, usually one to five sessions.

Proton therapy

Proton therapy uses energy from protons instead of X-rays, as in most radiation therapy types. In proton therapy, the highest concentration of energy is on the tumor, with less radiation reaching surrounding tissues.

Internal radiation therapy

Internal radiation therapy uses a radioactive source placed inside your body. Because the source is close to the treatment area, there is less risk of damaging healthy tissues.

Radiation oncology clinical trials

Clinical trials provide treatments before they become widely available. We offer many cancer clinical trials as part of our comprehensive cancer care approach. Your care team will let you know if you are eligible to participate in a trial.