MD Anderson Cancer Center Offers Next Evolution of Cancer Treatment with Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy

Newswise — Selected for its ability to target tumors precisely while minimizing damage to healthy surrounding tissue, proton therapy has rapidly gained a foothold as an option for radiation treatment in the past decade. The Proton Therapy Center at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, continues to innovate the field by being the first and only center in North America to treat patients with the most advanced form of proton therapy, called intensity modulated proton therapy with multi-field optimization (IMPT). Opened in 2006 as the first proton therapy center at a major comprehensive cancer center, it is now one of 10 proton therapy centers currently operating in the United States. The Proton Therapy Center treats over 800 patients of all ages every year.

IMPT, considered the “holy grail” by many radiation oncologists, is best used to deliver a potent and precise dose of protons to the most complicated tumors, ones that largely reside embedded in the nooks and crannies of the head and neck or skull base. MD Anderson envisioned IMPT as an achievable reality when the Proton Therapy Center introduced pencil beam technology in 2008 for patients with cancers of the pelvis, brain and certain pediatric tumors. Like pencil beam, IMPT relies on complex treatment planning systems and an intricate network of magnets to focus and aim a narrow proton beam and essentially “paint” the radiation dose onto the tumor layer by layer.

source: Newswise

Collaboration Between Cancer and Heart Physicians Essential for Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Radiation Therapy

Newswise — BOSTON––A new report that breast cancer patients treated with low doses of radiation therapy have a heightened risk of heart disease suggests that physicians need to work with patients before, during, and after treatment to minimize that risk, according to an accompanying editorial in the March 14 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

The editorial, by Javid Moslehi, MD, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, states that while radiation therapy has played a key role in reducing breast cancer mortality rates, the new study shows that such therapy – even at the low doses used in modern treatments – carries greater potential for producing long-term heart problems than was previously known. The study, led by researchers at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom, found that the potential heart-harming effects of radiation therapy were especially pronounced in women who were at greater risk of a heart attack prior to the therapy.

That finding is particularly important because there are a variety of steps women – and men – can take to reduce their overall risk of heart disease, writes Moslehi, who is the director of cardio-oncology in Dana-Farber’s Adult Survivorship Program.

source: Newswise

Elekta Sets New Benchmark for Cancer Treatment with Launch of Versa HD System

ATLANTA and STOCKHOLM, March 1 – During a live global event, Elekta announced the launch of Versa HD™, an advanced linear accelerator system designed to improve patient care and treat a broader spectrum of cancers. Featuring high precision beam shaping and tumor targeting, Versa HD also unveils new capabilities designed to maximize health care system resources and deliver highly sophisticated therapies without compromising treatment times.

Versa HD gives clinicians the flexibility to deliver conventional therapies to treat a wide range of tumors throughout the body, while also enabling treatment of highly complex cancers that require extreme targeting precision. As an integrated treatment system, Versa HD offers the versatility to address today’s growing cancer management challenges.

“The well-being of increasing numbers of cancer patients worldwide inspired us to create Versa HD,” says Elekta’s President and CEO, Tomas Puusepp. “We strived to incorporate technologies that would provide an immediate impact to patient health and quality of life. As the pioneers of many of today’s most advanced therapies, we are proud to introduce Versa HD as yet another market-leading innovation. Versa HD truly reflects the best thinking of Elekta’s technical experts and our clinical partners.”

Integrated with Elekta’s recently-launched Agility™ 160-leaf multileaf collimator (MLC), Versa HD provides highly conformal beam shaping – a critical requirement for maximizing the dose to the target while also preserving surrounding healthy tissues. Importantly, this high targeting accuracy is available over a large field-of-view, permitting delivery of high-definition (HD) beams to a wide spectrum of complex targets.

source: Elekta