Radiation Oncology

We recognize that no two cancer cases are the same. That’s why our expert radiation oncology team works with you to design the optimal treatment plan, unique to your needs.

Founded more than 40 years ago, our radiation oncology program offers a comprehensive range of the most technologically advanced radiation therapies available for treating the toughest cancer cases.

We are currently the only healthcare partner with UCSF Health in Contra Costa County. Our radiation oncologists work together as a team to offer cutting-edge cancer treatment and to improve patient care. We actively participate in national and UCSF research treatment protocols. We also offer a breadth of support services, including genetic counseling, social work, nutrition, survivorship, and rehabilitation in one location.

About our Partnerships

Our joint cancer network began with the UCSF-John Muir Health Cancer Center in Berkeley, which opened in February 2020. In 2023, our existing John Muir Health Cancer Centers in Walnut Creek, Concord, and Pleasant Hill also became part of the network.

In February 2024, we opened the UCSF-John Muir Health Jean and Ken Hofmann Cancer Center at the Behring Pavilion. Our state-of-the-art facility brings cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care coordination into a single location—in a space that is calm, inviting and focused on healing.

Patients benefit from the combined expertise of top cancer specialists from John Muir Health and UCSF Health, including access to the latest treatment advances—right here, close to home in Contra Costa County.

Meet Our Team

Radiation Oncology Team >

About Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy is a highly effective treatment for shrinking tumors and killing cancer cells. It works by damaging the DNA of the cancer cells, so that they can no longer divide or die. Depending on the specifics of your case, your radiation therapy might also be combined with other modes of treatment, such as surgery or chemotherapy. Radiation therapy can be received before, during of after surgery, depending on the type of cancer being treated.

Types Of Radiation Therapy

In the treatment of cancer, Radiation Oncology uses sophisticated technology to aim high energy X-rays directly at the site of disease. Administering radiation therapy requires close-knit cooperation amongst an entire team of healthcare professionals. As part of our mission to provide compassionate, first-class, fully integrated cancer care under one roof, we help coordinate multidisciplinary care plans with surgical and medical oncologists, dermatologists, and the primary care physician.

External-Beam Radiation Therapy: This is the most widely used type of radiation therapy. It delivers radiation directly to the tumor from outside of the body, most often by machines called linear accelerators or “linacs”. The machines move all around you, without touching you. The radiation cannot be seen, felt or smelled. Treatments are generally received daily, five days per week, over the course of several weeks in an outpatient setting, so you don’t have to stay in the hospital. Learn more about the treatments we offer.

Internal Radiation Therapy: Also called brachytherapy, internal radiation therapy involves placing radioactive material on or inside your body near the tumor cells. Brachytherapy can be given as a low-dose-rate (LDR) or a high-dose-rate (HDR) treatment. The placement of the radiation source may be temporary or permanent. Learn more about the treatments we offer.

Cancers We Treat With Radiation Therapy

We treat a wide variety of cancers including, but not limited to:

Why Choose Us

Depth of expertise: Our highly trained, board-certified team of five radiation oncologists leads the field in excellence, with over 100 years’ combined experience.

Multi-disciplinary approach: Our multi-disciplinary team of renowned cancer experts collaborates on designing the optimal treatment plan for you, an approach that is both unique and highly effective at ensuring that you receive the highest quality of care and best possible outcome.

State-of-the-art technologies: We use the most advanced technologies in the treatments we offer so that you get the best possible outcome with the least amount of side effects.

High patient satisfaction: Using Press Ganey surveys to measure our cancer patients’ satisfaction, we consistently score in the 99th percentile. We listen to our patients and use this valuable feedback to continuously improve the patient experience.

ACR-accredited: Our radiation oncology program has voluntarily gone through a vigorous review process by the American College of Radiology (ACR) to ensure that we meet or exceed nationally accepted standards of care, including the latest in best practices. Our accreditation demonstrates our commitment to providing you the best possible care.

ROTG membership: Funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) is a national clinical cooperative group that offers our cancer patients the opportunity to participate in high-quality clinical trials. These trials explore new directions in radiation therapy, with the goals of increasing survivorship and improving quality of life.

Joint Commission-accredited: This prestigious award recognizes our dedication to continuous compliance with The Joint Commission’s national standards for health care quality and safety in hospitals.