Patients of Swedish Covenant Hospital's Community Comprehensive Cancer Program now receive the benefits of state-of-the-art intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), offering the most specific modes of high-precision radiotherapy with computer-controlled X-ray linear accelerators. IMRT treatment delivers high radiation doses to malignant tumors while minimizing radiation exposure to the healthy surrounding tissue.
"The equipment involved is very impressive and leading edge," said Gary Schreiber, MD, FACRO, board certified in radiation oncology and Swedish Covenant Hospital Radiation Oncology Section medical director. "An electronic portal imaging system allows near-instantanous tumor viewing, improving precision. The sophisticated linear accelerator then utilizes a 3-D planning computer, working with an advanced collimator, to deliver the radiation dose with pinpoint accuracy."
Advanced radiation technology like IMRT makes use of sophisticated imaging devices such as CT, MRI and PET scans to precisely identify both tumor and non-cancerous tissues. The technology allows oncologists to continually shape and adjust the track of high-precision radiation during treatment, resulting in higher cure rates and fewer complications.
According to Schreiber, 60 percent of cancer patients require some form of radiation therapy and 25-30 percent are candidates for IMRT treatment, primarily patients with tumors of the brain, head, neck and pelvis. Working with Swedish Covenant Hospital's new 120-leaf beam shaper enables more targeted dose coverage, far surpassing the standard 80-leaf collimators at other facilities.
In treating brain tumors, IMRT effectively attacks concave or irregularly shaped central nervous system targets, sparing the critical structures like the optic nerves and brainstem. And in treating cancers of the tonsil, the advanced treatment can cure without damaging the parotid glands and causing further complications following treatment.
"Dry mouth as a consequence of radiation to the parotids was a major source of diminished quality of life in cancer survivors," Dr. Schreiber said. "IMRT patients experienced minimized impact to speech, dental decay and the ability to swallow."
In addition, IMRT treatment for prostate cancer has been proven to be the most effective treatment plan, reducing damage to the rectum that may cause rectal bleeding. Previous treatments limited the amount of radiation that could be delivered, reducing the probability of cure, Dr. Schreiber said.
For more information on IMRT and other cancer treatments offered at Swedish Covenant Hospital, contact Elizabeth Miniscalco, RN, OCN, clinical coordinator, Community Comprehensive Cancer Program, at (773) 878-8200, ext. 5437.
