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New technology targets tumors at Ellis Fischel Cancer Center Ellis Fischel Cancer Center is offering cancer patients a less invasive and more precise radiation treatment option using a new linear accelerator. The machine uses a powerful dose of radiation in a very specific area of the body to kill tumor cells, while protecting the tissue and nerves surrounding the tumor. The radiation targets small tumors, usually no larger than three centimeters in length, during radiation therapy and radiosurgery. “Radiosurgery is a procedure used to treat health conditions such as brain tumors,” said N. Scott Litofsky, M.D., a neurological surgeon at University of Missouri Health Care. “With the linear accelerator, we will be able expand our treatment options and target tumors that in the past have been inoperable.” “This technology rivals any radiation therapy treatment in the country,” said Steven Westgate, M.D., director of radiation oncology at Ellis Fischel Cancer Center. “The linear accelerator improves our accuracy of treatment and allows for rapid changes in the delivery of radiation, whether the patient is receiving a single treatment or multiple treatments.” Before radiosurgery, images of a patient’s tumor are generated and a detailed treatment plan is developed. The treatment plan specifies the exact dose of radiation to be delivered to the tumor. The linear accelerator uses three-dimensional geometry to target the tumor and avoid surrounding tissue. A specialized respiratory system takes into account tumor movement that occurs as a patient breathes and allows physicians to coordinate a treatment plan using a patient’s natural breathing pattern. While other radiosurgery equipment requires the use of a frame to accurately focus radiation on the target, Ellis Fischel’s new technology does not require a frame. Instead, the linear accelerator uses state-of-the-art computer imaging to focus radiation on the tumor, pinpointing a tumor even as a patient breathes and the tumor moves. “In the past, radiosurgery has only been done in the brain, because it required placing the patient in a rigid head frame,” said Litofsky. “Without a frame, patients will experience shorter treatment times and greater comfort.” By eliminating the need for a frame, the radiation oncologists at Ellis Fischel will be able to treat various types of cancers throughout the body, such as prostate, kidney and some lung cancers. The new linear accelerator may spare some cancer patients from more invasive surgical procedures or chemotherapy. Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, a part of the University of Missouri Health Care system, provides comprehensive cancer care to patients from every county in the state. More than 100 physician specialists and other trained professionals work together to improve and save the lives of cancer patients. Designated Missouri’s official state cancer center in 2004, Ellis Fischel also offers outpatient treatment and cancer screening services. E-mail this page | | Print this page |
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