Cancer Patients in Southeastern Florida Now Benefiting From RapidArc(TM) Radiotherapy ...( PALO ALTO Calif. Nov. 3 /- Sabin ...),Health

PALO ALTO, Calif., Nov. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sabin Robbins, a 75-year old prostate cancer patient is among the first people in Southeastern Florida to benefit from treatment with new RapidArc(TM) radiotherapy technology now in use at Bethesda Memorial Hospital's Comprehensive Cancer Center of Boynton Beach, Florida. RapidArc, which is made by Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR), unleashes the precision of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) two to eight times faster than was previously possible. Robbins, a former director of the National Zoo in Washington, DC, is mid-way through his eight and one half weeks of treatment.

"I feel very healthy for my age," said Robbins, who swims over 70 laps in his pool each day. "When family and friends suggested that I go in for a physical, I didn't pay much attention to the advice. Eventually, though, I gave in and agreed to a routine checkup, and the tests revealed that I had prostate cancer! I feel very fortunate that I caught this cancer before more time went by."

Doctors at Bethesda Comprehensive Cancer Center told Robbins he was a candidate for the new RapidArc technology. "I was told that RapidArc could reduce my treatment time from 15 minutes to less than two minutes each day," said Robbins, who sought out a second opinion from doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. They confirmed that he had prostate cancer and supported the course of treatment recommended by doctors at Bethesda. So Robbins returned home to begin RapidArc treatments.

"I have been pleasantly surprised at the quickness of the treatments," adds Robins. "In fact, I find it fascinating to watch the treatment machine rotate around me as I lie on the table."

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