Learning you have cancer can be very unsettling.  Advancements in medicine, though, have allowed for many different treatment options including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.


"Radiation is just energy that moves through space.  You can't see it, smell it, taste it, touch it or feel it.  Contrary to popular belief, burns from radiation and horrible skin changes and side effects are actually quite rare today given modern techniques," said radiation oncologist Dr. Carl Peterson with Mercy Health.


One technique in particular known as image-guided radiation therapy is allowing doctors to better target cancerous tumors. 


"Image-guided radiation therapy is when a picture is taken of the person's anatomy, when a picture is taken of the specific area of the body that is going to be treated, prior to each dose, to make sure the radiation goes right where we want it to go and does so every single day," said Dr. Peterson.


Ultimately, the technique reduces side effects to surrounding tissues and organs.


"The majority of patients I do treat undergo some image-guidance," said Dr. Peterson.


In addition to image guided radiation therapy, Dr. Peterson says intensity modulated radiation therapy, which also works to reduce radiation exposure to healthy tissues, is another popular treatment option among doctors in the Mahoning Valley.