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Radiation Oncology

Radiation can be used as part of a multi-disciplinary approach including chemotherapy and/or surgery as well as a standalone treatment for certain tumors. There are many ways to deliver and target radiation to specific parts of the body. Depending on the stage and type of cancer, one or more methods may be used to maximize tumor reduction and minimize damage to normal healthy tissues.

CBCC is proud to be the first cancer center in Kern County to offer multiple state-of-the-art radiation therapy treatments under one roof. The department of Radiation Oncology’s cutting-edge equipment and techniques is part of our approach to deliver quality, comprehensive care to our patients.

Our team consists of radiation oncologists, medical physicists, dosimetrists, radiation therapists, registered nurses, and other clinicians working together to provide a comprehensive care plan customized to your treatment needs.

What is Radiation Oncology?

Radiation oncology is a cancer treatment that uses high-energy particles, such as x-rays, to destroy or damage cancer cells. Cancer cells grow and divide much faster than most normal, healthy cells. Radiation works by making small breaks in a cell’s DNA. These breaks keep cancer cells from growing, causing them to die. Healthy cells that are nearby can also be affected by radiation, but most recover. While other cancer-fighting techniques affect the whole body, radiation therapy usually targets cells in one specific area of the body. This means radiation damages cancer cells with as little harm as possible to nearby healthy cells.

More than half of people who are diagnosed with cancer receive radiation therapy, and it can be used to treat many different types of cancer. Sometimes, radiation is used on its own and other times it’s combined with other types of treatment such as chemotherapy, surgery or immunotherapy. Radiation can also be used to relieve symptoms like pain, trouble swallowing or breathing, or bowel blockages that can be caused by advanced cancer. The decision to use radiation therapy depends on the type and stage of cancer, and other health problems a patient might have.

Radiation Treatments

Radiation therapy uses targeted, high-energy radiation to shrink tumors and kill cancer cells by damaging their DNA. Radiation is administered either by a machine from outside the body or by placing radioactive material directly into your cancerous area.

Your radiation therapy treatment plan will depend on your type of cancer, the location of your cancer, your medical history, and the recommendations of your cancer care team.

We offer several types of specialized radiation therapy, such as:

External Beam Radiation Therapy

Radiation is delivered from a machine outside the body and directed to the part of the body where cancer is present. This energy kills the tumors and malignant cells.

Internal Radiation Therapy

This therapy is also called brachytherapy or seed implantation. Radiation is delivered directly from within the body through radioactive materials which are placed, temporarily or permanently, as close to the affected area as possible. This form of therapy delivers a high dose of radiation over a shorter time period directly to the cancerous area.

Systemic Radiation Therapy

Radioactive iodine therapy uses iodine to send out radiation, specifically to treat thyroid cancer.


Advanced Therapies & Procedures

The CBCC radiation oncology department is devoted to being a leader in innovative treatment methodologies. Our team of specialists continually reviews and researches evolving treatment methods and invests in sophisticated, leading edge technology as it becomes available.

CBCC advanced offerings include:

• TrueBeam® Radiotherapy System
• CyberKnife® Radiosurgery
• Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT)
• Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT)
• Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)
• Prostate Seed Implantation
• High Dose Rate Brachytherapy
• MammoSite Partial Breast Irradiation
• Prone Breast Radiation Technique
• Respiratory Gating
• Intraoperative Radiation Therapy (IORT)


TrueBeam® Radiotherapy System

TrueBeam® radiotherapy system is a medical linear accelerator that provides image-guided radiotherapy with a high precision to treat tumors and lesions in various parts of the body, including lungs, breasts, head, and neck.

Feature and benefits include:

Flexible Treatment Options

Provides a variety of treatment techniques with pinpoint accuracy and precision to address a broad range of cancer cases.

Advanced Imaging

Respiration-synchronized MV/kV radiographs, 4D CBCT, Iterative CBCT, Triggered Imaging, and more with 25% less X-ray dose to the patient.

Respiratory Gating

Grants the monitoring patient’s breathing and compensate for the movement of tumor while the dose is being delivered to the patient.

High Precision Dosage Control

Sub-millimeter accuracy ensures delivery conformality.

Streamlined Treatments

Our proprietary Maestro synchronous control system enables seamless system operation.

Safe and Reliable

Built-in patient safety features that allow clinicians navigate the complexities of cancer care with confidence.

ACR Accreditation

CBCC is accredited by the American College of Radiology (ACR) – the gold standard of medical imaging.

The ACR has a rigorous set of independent standards for patient safety and top quality care, with only 10% of the nation’s radiation oncology centers having successfully passed the evaluation. We are very proud to have received this prestigious ACR Accreditation.

CyberKnife Radiosurgery

CyberKnife® Radiosurgery

For many cancers, CyberKnife® provides a precise, painless alternative to surgery or traditional radiation therapy.

The CyberKnife® Robotic Radiosurgery System is the first and only in Kern County, and one of only 150 worldwide. Pain-free, non-surgical, and given on an out-patient basis, the CyberKnife® can deliver targeted radiation therapy to a tumor located anywhere in the body from virtually unlimited positions.

Despite its name, CyberKnife® radiosurgery doesn’t require any incisions, which is crucial for treating certain areas of your body, such as your brain and spine. The robotic design, coupled with real-time imaging, enables a maximum dose of radiation directly to the tumor from many different angles with sub-millimeter precision. This greatly reduces the risk of damaging critical structures surrounding the tumor. The treatment is extremely safe in the hands of our experienced and trained radiation oncologists.

CyberKnife® Benefits:

  • The ability to treat tumors anywhere in the body
  • Continual tracking, detection and correction for tumor and patient movement throughout the treatment
  • Delivering high-dose radiation with sub-millimeter accuracy, minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue
  • Treating tumors from virtually unlimited directions using flexible robotic mobility
  • Providing an option for patients diagnosed with inoperable or surgically complex tumors
  • Improving the patient’s quality of life during and after treatment
  • Non-invasive alternative to surgery that can be completed in as few as one to five visits
  • Outpatient, pain-free procedure with little or no recovery time or side effects
  • Allows for an immediate return to normal activities
  • Ability to re-irradiate previously treated sites