Cancer Care Northwest Offering “Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy” and More Precise Radiation Delivery with On-Board Imaging Technology
Targeted radiation therapy is now even more precise with new radiation technology available at Cancer Care Northwest’s North office. Radiation Oncologists at CCNW are offering “Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy” (SBRT) with access to an advanced, three-dimensional imaging process. This imaging tool, used at the same time as the treatment session, can pinpoint the exact size, shape and location of tumors while also accounting for any tumor movement or small day-to-day set up differences.
Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy
This term refers to very high doses of focused radiation therapy that are given to a precisely defined tumor, usually in 3-5 treatments over 1-2.5 weeks. This shortens overall treatment time and increases efficacy for selected tumor types. Multiple weak radiation beams are passed through the tumor from 8-10 various angles all focusing on the tumor, and thereby minimizing dose to the normal surrounding tissues. Where the beams intersect, full dose is delivered accurately to the tumor. This has been shown to be extremely effective for localized lung cancers in patients who are not surgical candidates.
“We can also account for tumor motion during breathing, by taking a ‘movie’ of the patients breathing cycle that we use while planning the therapy on high-powered computers,” says Wayne T. Lamoreaux, MD, Radiation Oncologist at Cancer Care Northwest.
Other potential uses of SBRT are in cancers that have spread to other parts of the body (i.e. lung, liver, and bone).
“This process is similar to the well-known Gamma Knife radiosurgery for brain tumors, and this concept can now be applied to the rest of the body,” said Robert K. Fairbanks, MD, Radiation Oncologist at Cancer Care Northwest.
Cone Beam CT
The 3-D imaging technology, called Cone-Beam CT, was recently added to Cancer Care Northwest’s North Office Smart Beam ix Linear Accelerator, which delivers radiation therapy to cancer patients. The 3-D image is created using an On-Board Imager, which is attached to the linear accelerator. This process can be used for SBRT and standard daily radiation therapy.
“Integrating the Cone-Beam CT and the On-Board Imaging technology with the linear accelerator allows us to pinpoint the tumor with more accuracy than ever before. With highly precise images of the tumor generated just prior to treatment, we can adjust the radiation treatment beam to the exact location of the tumor and minimize damage to nearby organs and tissue,” Dr. Lamoreaux said.
How it Works
The tumor is observed from many angles by rotating the On-board Imager 360 degrees around the treatment site. With high resolution, 3-D images of the tumor generated just prior to treatment, the oncologists can pinpoint tumor sites, adjust patient positioning when necessary, and complete a treatment, all within the standard treatment time slot. This ensures that the patient and the tumor are at the same position as planned originally. The imaging equipment is attached to the linear accelerator, so that patient doesn't need to be moved between imaging and treatment.
Cancers that can be imaged with Core Beam CT
Cone Beam CT is especially useful for imaging cancers of the head, neck, prostate, lung, pancreas and cervix and more.
"This imaging technology represents a significant advance in cancer treatment,” Dr. Lamoreaux said.