MercyOne Dubuque Cancer Center: LDRT for Osteoarthritis

Yes. Services can change, so call 563-589-9140 to check before you schedule.

The closest other listed locations are Mercyhealth Cancer Center - Freeport in Freeport, IL (about 54 miles away), UW Health Carbone Cancer Center in Madison, WI (about 75 miles away), RUSH MD Anderson Cancer Center at Copley in Aurora, IL (about 134 miles away), and Mayo Clinic Rochester in Rochester, MN (about 139 miles away). Distances are straight-line, not driving distance.

Usually, yes. Medicare and most major commercial insurance plans cover LDRT for osteoarthritis, though coverage details vary by plan. The radiation oncology office listed above can verify your specific benefits before you schedule.

It depends on your insurance plan. Many plans allow scheduling directly with a radiation oncology department once osteoarthritis is documented; others require a referral from your primary care doctor, orthopedist, or rheumatologist first. Call the office above to ask what they require.

A typical LDRT course uses a low total dose delivered over six treatments, substantially less than the dose used in cancer treatment. Long-term clinical experience hasn't identified a clear signal of increased radiation-related cancer risk after LDRT for osteoarthritis, though studies aren't large enough to rule out a very small risk entirely. A radiation oncologist here can walk you through how the benefit and risk apply to your specific case.

A consultation, then a CT planning scan, then typically six treatment sessions given two to three times a week over two to three weeks. Each session takes roughly 10 to 15 minutes, mostly positioning; there's no needle, sedation, or recovery time.