Jump to content

Choose locationChoose Location
  • Sign in or Enroll
    • Open I want to choose my medical group or hospital
    • Clear my location
Change Location

We've expanded your view

You are now viewing all services in the Sutter Health network. You can change your location above to narrow your view to a medical group, hospital, city or zip.
Sutter Health
  • Video Visits
  • Find Doctors
  • Find Locations
  • Treatments & Services
  • Locations
  • Sign in or Enroll
    • Video Visits
    • Find Doctors
    • Find Locations
    • Treatments & Services
    • COVID-19 Resources
    • Pay a Bill
    • Symptom Checker
    • Get Care Today
    • Diseases & Conditions
    • Health & Wellness
    • Classes & Events
    • Research & Clinical Trials
    • For Patients
    • About Sutter Health
    • Giving
    • Volunteering
    • Careers
    • News
    • For Medical Professionals
    • Other Business Services
Close Search
  • Home
  • All CitiesAll Cities
  • Services
  • Cancer Services
  • Radiation Oncology
Content

Radiation Oncology Services

To precisely target cancer cells and spare healthy tissue, radiation oncologists in the Sutter Health network use state-of-the-art radiation therapies. Your cancer care team will work with you to choose the best treatment plan based on the type of cancer you have, its location and your physical condition.

Woman receiving radiation therapy

Featured Services

  • Brachytherapy
  • External Beam Radiation Therapy
  • Radiosurgery
  • Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT)

Fighting Cancer with Technology

At Sutter’s nine cancer centers, radiation oncologists use a range of radiation therapies to destroy cancer cells and spare healthy tissue. Medical imaging technologies, including X-ray, MRI, CT and PET, are used to design your care plan. Your cancer care team will work with you to choose the right treatment method based on your cancer type and health situation. Here are some of the radiation therapy options available.

Radiology
               doctor

External Beam Therapy

A beam or beams of high-energy X-rays generated by a linear accelerator are delivered to the tumor, killing the cancer cells. The technologies listed below help focus the treatment precisely where it's needed, targeting cancer cells while sparing the surrounding normal tissue.

  • 3-D Conformal Therapy — Delivers a radiation dose that is shaped to conform to the tumor and avoid healthy tissue.
  • Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) — Provides precise targeting with frequent imaging when the tumor is likely to move (lung or prostate) or is near critical organs.
  • Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) — Delivers radiation in hundreds of segments, focusing specifically on the shape of the tumor.
  • Tomotherapy — Used to target the radiation dose across a tumor in carefully delivered “slices.”
  • Varian RapidArc® and Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) — Delivers radiation in a 360-degree rotation around the patient.

Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS)

High-energy radiation beams replace scalpels in SRS, used to treat some brain tumors that can’t be removed with surgery or that require extreme precision. When used to treat body tumors in the lung, liver, prostate and spine, SRS is called stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). SRS and SBRT machines use stabilizing devices to prevent patient movement and high-precision technology to ensure precise targeting.

Brachytherapy

For some cancers, the best treatment is to place a radiation source in or near the tumor. During this type of treatment, called brachytherapy, a catheter or other device is used to place a radioactive source inside your body to specifically target the area that needs treatment. Depending on your type of treatment, the radioactive source can be placed temporarily or  permanently.

Intraoperative Radiotherapy (IORT)

Some patients with bile duct, breast (PDF), colorectal, ovarian, pancreatic and spinal cancer can receive a concentrated dose of radiation to the surgical site after a tumor has been removed in the operating room. This may prevent the inconvenience of returning for radiation therapy treatments following surgery.

Optune™

Used for aggressive brain cancer, Optune allows sustained treatment over the course of the day using a wearable device. You may be able to walk around, take a trip or maintain your daily routine during treatment. It is given with the chemotherapy drug temozolomide following standard treatments.

Radiolabeled Antibody Therapy

Some forms of lymphoma may be treated by injecting an antibody with a radiopharmaceutical attached, which is designed to bind with and destroy the cancer cells.

Helpful Resources

  • Cancer Webinar Library

Patient Information

Doctor and female patient using digital tablet

Interested in becoming a Sutter patient? Here’s what you need to know about health plans, choosing a doctor and how to get started today.

  • Accepted Health Plans
  • Tips for Choosing a Doctor
  • Health Insurance Guide

What Is Radiosurgery?

play video

PAMF radiation oncologist Pauling Chang, M.D., explains how noninvasive radiosurgery therapy precisely targets tumors.

Clinical Perspectives

Doctor studying DNA

Precision Medicine

Growing knowledge of the human genome is changing the way we treat cancer. The National Cancer Institute’s Precision Medicine Initiative has opened the door to exciting new research and therapies that already are expanding options and personalizing treatment for people with cancer.

Patient Stories

New Frontiers in Radiation Technology

Radiation oncologists zero in on tumors while saving healthy tissue.

View All Stories

Liver Cancer Research

Sutter Health Liver Cancer Research

Sutter Health Liver Cancer Research Sutter Health Liver Cancer Research

Doctor Profiles

The following doctors are part of the Sutter Health network. Learn about the doctors on this site.
Mariam P. Korah, M.D.

Mariam P. Korah, M.D.

  • Radiation Oncology

Uma Swamy, M.D.

Uma Swamy, M.D.

  • Radiation Oncology

Frederick C. David, M.D.

Frederick C. David, M.D.

  • Radiation Oncology

Al V. Taira, M.D.

Al V. Taira, M.D.

  • Radiation Oncology

Zahora N. Ally, M.D.

Zahora N. Ally, M.D.

  • Radiation Oncology

Patrick S. Swift, M.D.

Patrick S. Swift, M.D.

  • Radiation Oncology

Irwin Lee, M.D.

Irwin Lee, M.D.

  • Radiation Oncology

James L. Rembert, M.D.

James L. Rembert, M.D.

  • Radiation Oncology

Susan Hiniker, M.D.

Susan Hiniker, M.D.

  • Radiation Oncology

View All Related Doctors

Services Near You

Palo Alto Medical Foundation

Palo Alto Medical Foundation

Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital

Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital

Eden Medical Center

Eden Medical Center

Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento

Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento

Alta Bates Summit Medical Center

Alta Bates Summit Medical Center

Sutter Roseville Medical Center

Sutter Roseville Medical Center

Sutter Medical Foundation

Sutter Medical Foundation

Sutter Solano Medical Center

Sutter Solano Medical Center

Sutter Gould Medical Foundation

Sutter Gould Medical Foundation

View All Related Locations

Referring Physicians

Find a specialist who fits your patients' needs.

The Sutter Health Network of Care
Expertise to fit your needs
Primary Care

Check-ups, screenings and sick visits for adults and children.

Specialty Care

Expertise and advanced technologies in all areas of medicine.

Emergency Care

For serious accidents, injuries and conditions that require immediate medical care.

Urgent Care

After-hours, weekend and holiday services.

Walk-In Care

Convenient walk-in care clinics for your non-urgent health needs.

About Sutter

  • About Our Network
  • Annual Report
  • Awards
  • Community Benefit
  • Contact Us
  • News
  • Giving
  • Find Care

  • Birth Centers
  • Care Centers
  • Emergency Rooms
  • Hospitals
  • Imaging
  • Labs
  • Surgery Centers
  • Urgent Care
  • Walk-In Care
  • View All >
  • Featured Services

  • Behavioral Health
  • Cancer Services
  • Family Medicine
  • Home Health and Hospice
  • Orthopedics
  • Pediatrics
  • Pregnancy
  • Primary Care
  • Women's Health
  • View All >
  • Patient Resources

  • Accepted Health Plans
  • Classes and Events
  • Estimate Costs
  • Flu Resources
  • Health and Wellness
  • Medical Records
  • Medicare
  • My Health Online
  • Pay a Bill
  • Symptom Checker
  • Our Team

  • For Employees
  • Physician Careers
  • Recruiting Events
  • Sutter Careers
  • Vendors
  • Volunteers
    • ADA Accessibility
    • Contact
    • Privacy
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information

    • LinkedIn Opens new window
    • YouTube Opens new window
    • Facebook Opens new window
    • Twitter Opens new window
    • Glassdoor Opens new window
    • Instagram Opens new window

    Copyright © 2021 Sutter Health. All rights reserved. Sutter Health is a registered trademark of Sutter Health ®, Reg. U.S. Patent & Trademark office.

    Cookie Policy

    We use cookies to give you the best possible user experience. By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. Privacy Policy Cookie Preferences

    Privacy Policy Cookie Preferences