Radiation Therapy for Benign Conditions
The radiation oncology teams at our City of Hope® Chicago-area locations offer patients access to radiation therapy for benign conditions, which can be an effective, noninvasive treatment option that can help patients manage the pain and discomfort associated with a wide range of noncancerous disorders, such as osteoarthritis, plantar fasciitis, Dupuytren’s contractions, keloids, Graves’ disease and heterotopic ossification after a joint replacement.
Advantages of Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy uses targeted beams of radiation to calm inflammation on a cellular level. It is most often used to treat conditions that affect the bones and joints. Low-dose radiation therapy may be provided over a few days to a few weeks depending on the condition. Radiation therapy offers a number of advantages. For example, it:
- Is safe, effective and painless and has been shown to cause no noticeable side effects, given the low dose of radiation that is used.
- Can be an alternative option for pain management for patients who cannot or prefer not to undergo surgery or other more invasive treatments.
- Is recognized and covered by many insurance plans.
Around 70% of patients who undergo radiation therapy experience significant pain relief for up to two years.
What Sets Our Chicago Radiation Therapy Treatments Apart?
City of Hope’s Chicago-area radiation oncology program is part of our national network of cancer centers, which is renowned for its expertise in providing evidence-based, compassionate treatment for patients with both cancer and noncancerous conditions.
Benefits of receiving radiation therapy at City of Hope include those listed below.
Clinical excellence and expertise: Our Chicago-area hospital radiation oncology program has received accreditation from the American Society for Radiation Oncology’s Accreditation Program for Excellence® (APEx) program, which recognizes our rigorous standards in providing safe, effective care.
Speed to care: Radiation therapy appointments are often available as soon as one week after an initial consultation.
Access to treatment close to home: We offer radiation therapy at City of Hope’s outpatient location in Downtown Chicago and at our hospital in Zion, Illinois.
Coordination of care: We work with your primary doctor and your health insurance provider to ensure you receive care as quickly and seamlessly as possible.
Which Conditions Can Be Treated With Radiation Therapy?
Radiation therapy works by interrupting pain signals in the body and calming the immune system, which in turn reduces inflammation at a cellular level. It may be used to treat many kinds of noncancerous conditions, including the below.
Osteoarthritis is a common condition caused by the cartilage between bones wearing down over time. Low-dose radiation therapy (LDRT) may be a treatment option for patients with osteoarthritis symptoms that cannot be managed with medications and physical therapy alone.
Plantar fasciitis is a condition that causes pain in the heel or bottom of the foot (the fascia). While many treatment options are available to help manage plantar fasciitis, when these don’t prove effective, doctors may recommend low-dose radiation therapy, which can reduce inflammation.
Dupuytren’s contractions, or Dupuytren’s disease, is a genetic condition that causes tissue nodules to grow in the hands, often affecting the patient’s hand or fingers. LDRT is sometimes used to reduce the pain caused by this condition and/or to slow the growth of these nodules.
Keloids are bumps or lumps on the skin caused when a scar does not heal properly. They are often treated with surgery, but they have over a 50% recurrence rate for many patients. Radiation therapy has been shown to reduce this recurrence rate to 10% to 20%. Usually, radiation for keloids involves only one to five treatments, taking less than 10 minutes for each appointment.
Graves’ disease is an autoimmune condition that affects the thyroid gland, often causing hyperthyroidism. One symptom is swelling of the eyes, or proptosis. Radiation therapy is sometimes recommended as a treatment option to alleviate proptosis, in combination with other treatments for Graves’ disease.
Heterotopic ossification, a condition where hard bony tissue forms in the body’s soft tissues, often after joint replacement surgery (for example, a hip or knee replacement), and is often minor. Radiation is sometimes recommended after this type of surgery as a preventative measure, since it can stop the ossification process.
Contact Our Illinois Radiation Therapy Experts
To make an appointment to receive radiation therapy, contact the City of Hope location closest to you.