Cancer Patients in Southeastern Florida Now Benefiting From RapidArc(TM) Radiotherapy ... (near accelerator delivers Robbins' daily...)

Cancer Patients in Southeastern Florida Now Benefiting From RapidArc(TM) Radiotherapy Treatments

Date:11/3/2008

near accelerator delivers Robbins' daily treatments in a single rotation around him. During that rotation, the treatment beam continually morphs to the shape and volume of the tumor at every possible angle.

Each of Robbins' treatments takes about 70 seconds to complete once he has been positioned for treatment and image guidance technology has pinpointed the tumor's location.

"RapidArc allows us to more closely shape the treatment beam to the tumor," said Bruce Greene, MD, director of radiation oncology at Bethesda. "Compared with conventional IMRT treatment plans, we are finding that normal tissue sparing is noticeably better with RapidArc. Because of this accuracy, we expect to improve clinical outcomes and reduce unwanted side effects."

Greene added that the speed of a RapidArc treatment can further enhance treatment accuracy. "Normal physiology will cause a tumor to move slightly, even within the 7 to 10 minutes needed to complete a conventional IMRT treatment," said Greene. "What we're seeing with RapidArc is that treatments are completed fast enough to reduce the range of tumor movement during the treatment." Published studies suggest that faster treatments may also result in higher cancer cell kill rates.

RapidArc radiotherapy technology has now been used for the treatment of prostate, head and neck, lung, brain, spine, bone, gynecological, and soft tissue cancers. The American Cancer Society estimates that, in the United States this year, doctors will diagnose 1,437,180 new cancer cases; over 100,000 will occur in the state of Florida.

About Bethesda Memorial Hospital and Bethesda Comprehensive Cancer Center

Celebrating 50 years of caring for the community, Bethesda Memorial Hospital, is a 401-bed, full service, not-for-profit hospital that serves South Palm Beach County. With a longstanding tradition of providing excellence in cancer care, Bethesda Comprehensive Cancer Center has two locations to serve our community
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Cancer Patients in Southeastern Florida Now Benefiting From RapidArc(TM) Radiotherapy ...(near accelerator delivers Robbins' daily...),Health