Radiation Oncology

The Department of Radiation Oncology at City of Hope^® Cancer Center Chicago offers patients in Illinois and the surrounding area access to a comprehensive radiation therapy program for a wide range of cancers. Our team of expert board-certified radiation oncologists, radiation oncology nurses and radiation therapists work with you to provide an individualized treatment plan that meets your needs. This plan — based on factors including the type of cancer you have, its size and location, your overall health and whether you have previously undergone treatment — may include:

• External beam radiation therapy (EBRT), which includes stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), stereotactic radiosurgery and hypofractionated approaches
• High-dose rate internal radiation therapy, also known as brachytherapy
• Radiopharmaceuticals, i.e., Xofigo^®, Pluvicto^®

Our radiation oncologists use innovative technologies that allow them to deliver high radiation doses to tumors while minimizing the damage caused to healthy tissues. These highly targeted approaches to radiation therapy typically have a lower risk of side effects. You will discuss your treatment plan with your radiation oncologist and other cancer care doctors. Radiation therapy may be included in your personalized treatment plan:

• As a primary treatment
• In combination with other treatments, like chemotherapy, to slow or stop cancer from spreading
• Before surgery, with the goal of shrinking a tumor
• After surgery to eliminate remaining cancer cells
• As a treatment for cancer that has spread to other areas of the body
• As a palliative treatment to relieve pain
   

Our program has received APEx accreditation from the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), which is the highest recognition nationwide for hospitals and clinics that meet the most rigorous standards in providing safe, effective radiation therapy for patients. We are also able to offer outstanding speed to care, moving from an initial scan or tests to treatment in as little as two days.

Additionally, our radiation oncology team is recognized by patients as providing exceptional care. Over the past five years, 97% of our patients said they felt confident in their radiation oncologist and that they would recommend their physician.* 

The radiation therapy team at City of Hope Chicago is committed to bringing advanced radiation therapy treatment options to more patients more quickly. This includes safer, more targeted treatment technologies and options. Our approaches to radiation therapy include:

• The use of image guidance before and during treatment, which allows higher doses of radiation to be delivered directly to a tumor while minimizing the impact on healthy tissue
• Access to radiopharmaceutical therapies that use radioactive drugs to target cancer cells for several cancers including neuroendocrine tumors and prostate cancer
• High-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy, which involves placing an applicator in or near a tumor to directly target the cancer
• Hypofractionated radiation therapy, an approach that delivers higher amounts of radiation in fewer sessions, reducing the time it takes to undergo radiation therapy
• Access to PSMA positron emission tomography (PET) scans, an advanced type of scan that can detect prostate cancer anywhere in the body
• Salvage radiation therapy for prostate cancer, a treatment for men who have previously had their prostate removed but experience increases in their prostate-specific antigen levels
• Hyperthermia, which heats a tumor prior to radiation therapy to more effectively treat certain cancers

Our radiation oncologists also offer radiation for benign conditions at our Illinois locations, such as:

• Osteoarthritis
• Plantar fasciitis
• Dupuytren’s contracture
• Graves’ disease
• Heterotopic ossification following a hip or other joint replacement
• Keloid scars, which can be treated 24 to 48 hours after surgical removal of the keloid
   

Our focus on quality of life extends beyond our approaches to delivering radiation therapy. Alongside the expert oncologists delivering your treatment, other members of your care team will work with you to help reduce side effects and improve your wellbeing before, during and after treatment. This team often includes:

• Dietitians and nutritionists
• Naturopathic providers
• Pain management experts
• Emotional support providers
• Physical and occupational rehabilitation therapists
• Pastoral and spiritual care staff
• Sexual wellness counselors
• Dermatologists

These specialists support your physical, social and spiritual needs as you undergo radiation treatment and help you address any side effects or symptoms you may experience.

* Source: Press Ganey patient surveys – City of Hope Chicago; data sourced April 2025