Radiation Therapy & Radiosurgery
At Cone Health, you have access to the full range of radiation technology close to home in the Piedmont Triad. This treatment uses high-energy X-rays to destroy cancer cells and keep them from coming back. With our pioneering research and accredited care, you know you’re always getting the latest and best treatments.
Care in Greensboro, Burlington & Asheboro
Radiation therapy takes place at these Cone Health Cancer Centers:
We’ll help you get the care you need at the location that works best for you.
Accredited, Certified Care
You can trust us for high-quality treatment because Cone Health Cancer Center at Wesley Long Hospital:
- Is the first in North Carolina to earn Novalis certification for radiosurgery
- Holds accreditation from the American College of Radiology in radiation oncology
These honors mean we have the technology, processes, and staff to give you the safest, most effective care.
Types of Radiation Therapy
Your doctors will prescribe the right services for your type and stage of cancer.
External Beam Radiation
As the most common type of treatment, external beam radiation uses a machine called a linear accelerator. It sends radiation to the tumor from outside your body using:
- 3D conformal radiation therapy — Matches the radiation beam to the tumor’s size and shape
- Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) — Uses imaging before each treatment to aim radiation more precisely at the tumor
- Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) — Shapes and adjusts radiation beams so the tumor gets a high dose while nearby healthy tissue gets less
- Stereotactic radiosurgery — Delivers very precise, high-dose radiation to treat tumors without surgery in just one session or a few sessions
You may receive external radiation therapy in Greensboro, Burlington, or Asheboro. Cone Health Cancer Center at Wesley Long Hospital uses the new Varian Edge machine. This advanced technology tracks your tumor in real time, especially if it moves as you breathe. The machine checks the radiation beam every 10 milliseconds, so you always get precise care.
Internal Radiation (Brachytherapy)
Brachytherapy places a small radioactive “seed” in or near the tumor for a few minutes, for a few days, or permanently. (The radiation in permanent implants decays over time.) You could receive internal radiation therapy in Greensboro or Burlington.
Systemic Radiation (Radiopharmaceuticals)
These radioactive drugs kill cancer cells, especially advanced cancers or tumors that have spread. You have access to this precise treatment in Burlington and Greensboro.
Protecting Your Heart During Breast Cancer Treatment
If you need radiation for the left breast, there’s a risk of treatment affecting your heart. You can lower that risk with a technique called deep inspiration breath hold. Before each burst of radiation, you take a deep breath, moving your heart away from your breast. Then, our Vision RT AlignRT system uses 3D cameras to focus the radiation beam on your tumor. After delivery of the radiation, you let the breath out. This approach not only protects your heart, but also reduces time in treatment.
Precise Care with No Need for Tattoos
In the past, radiation therapists made tiny, permanent tattoos on patients’ skin to guide radiation beams to cancer cells. But you won’t need tattoos because our cancer centers offer surface-guided radiation therapy (SGRT). It uses 3D cameras and a computer to track your body’s position in real time. So, your care team can target the tumor while protecting healthy organs. SGRT also speeds up treatment, reduces the need for repeat imaging, and makes your care more comfortable.
Cone Health has used SGRT longer than anyone else in the region. We were among the first in the world to offer it for all patients because we believe everyone deserves the best possible experience.
Radiation Oncology Center for Innovation
You get groundbreaking care because of Cone Health’s Radiation Oncology Center for Innovation in Greensboro. It has brought new technology to clinics around the world. That includes artificial intelligence, which helps doctors plan your care faster and more accurately. So, you spend less time in treatment and more time focusing on recovery.
