Oral, Head, & Neck Cancers

Ackerman Cancer Center provides external beam radiation therapy using high‑energy X‑rays on advanced linear accelerators to safely and effectively treat cancers from head to toe. Using 3D conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT), Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), and Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT), treatment plans are customized to each patient’s unique anatomy to help target the tumor while protecting healthy tissue. Most patients receive painless daily treatments over several weeks. Each visit typically lasts less than 20 minutes, including positioning on the treatment table, cone‑beam CT imaging to align to internal anatomy, and focused treatment to the target area.

Ackerman Cancer Center offers proton therapy with a Mevion S250 proton system for eligible patients. Proton beam therapy can treat both shallow and deep tumors while helping to spare nearby organs. This is possible because the proton beam can stop near the tumor instead of passing through the body. This advanced treatment is not available at most radiation centers, but the Ackerman team has more than 10 years of proton experience, celebrating its 3,500th proton patient in 2026.

Learn about Proton Therapy at ACC

National Association for Proton Therapy

Ackerman Cancer Center provides Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) for many areas of the body, including the lung, liver, kidneys, and spine, as well as other carefully selected sites. SBRT typically involves five or fewer treatments, each delivering a very high dose of radiation to a small, precisely defined target. With advanced imaging, specialized treatment planning, and state‑of‑the‑art linear accelerators, SBRT allows patients to complete treatment in fewer visits while maintaining accuracy and safety. Frequently, patients receiving SBRT experience very few side effects.