Hunterdon Regional Cancer Center New Radiation Technology To Target Breast, Prostate and Other Tumors
Pictured: Andrew Greenberg, MD, Radiation Oncologist and Keith McClain, Radiation Oncology Manager at Hunterdon Regional Cancer Center pictured next to the Varian Trilogy™ Linear Accelerator.
On March 22nd, Hunterdon Regional Cancer Center will open a new Radiation Oncology Wing which features a state-of-the-art radiation therapy machine that allows doctors to treat many cancerous tumors with extraordinary precision. The Varian Trilogy™ Linear Accelerator is the most powerful, precise and versatile system for treating cancer.
The new linear accelerator, a machine that rotates around the patient to deliver radiotherapy from many angles, provides the most advanced external beam radiation therapy available for brain, prostate, breast and other cancers. In external radiation therapy, powerful x-rays are carefully aimed at cancer cells to destroy them or slow growth. This new system is designed to deliver high doses of radiation very quickly, which translates into faster treatments, better outcomes along with greater patient comfort, since patients spend less time on the treatment table.
“This technology allows us to treat tumors with pinpoint accuracy,” says Oren Cahlon, MD, a radiation oncologist who recently joined Hunterdon Regional Cancer Center from Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York. “We can deliver higher doses of radiation to tumors and lower doses to the surrounding normal tissues. We can also treat many tumors that we couldn’t in the past.”
Prior to treatment, images of a patient’s tumor and the surrounding anatomy are generated (using MRI, CT or PET scanning), and clinicians use this information, along with sophisticated analytical software programs, to prepare a detailed treatment plan. The treatment plan specifies the exact dose to be delivered to the tumor, as well as how the technology can best deliver that dose, given the three-dimensional geometry of the target and surrounding tissues. When the patient arrives for treatment, clinicians use Trilogy’s advanced imaging system to confirm the exact tumor position relative to the radiation beam, and make any needed adjustments before treatment begins. Some treatments, primarily for small lesions and metastases, can be accomplished in a single session, while other treatments require multiple sessions.
The benefits of the Varian Trilogy™ Linear Accelerator include:
Shorter treatment time – Daily therapy sessions can potentially be cut by half or more.
Improved safety – Detailed, real-time CT images ensure a patient is always properly positioned.
Better outcomes – The machine delivers higher radiation doses, which have been shown to result in fewer side effects and higher cure rates for many cancers.
More treatment options – The accelerator can target even tiny lesions, making it a powerful weapon against cancer.
“Radiation therapy is used today in more than half of all cancer treatments due to its unique clinical advantages,” says Andrew Greenberg, MD, Radiation Oncologist at Hunterdon Regional Cancer Center. “Using the Trilogy system, we have the potential to substantially improve treatment outcomes by doing a better job of protecting healthy tissue while delivering more powerful doses to tumors with other abnormalities.”
Hunterdon Regional Cancer Center is a partner of Fox Chase Cancer Center. Its comprehensive services include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, clinical research, early detection and screening programs, support groups, educational programs, nutrition counseling, psychosocial support, complimentary therapies and cancer risk assessment.
For more information on Hunterdon Regional Cancer Center call 1-888-788-1260.