South Florida radio therapy on the foreground of the treatment of cancer with radiotherapy TrueBeam ™ system from Varian Medical Systems

In a promising development for cancer patients in The Palm Beach area, South Florida Radiation Oncology today announced that the TrueBeam system, an innovative system that allows a radically different approach for the treatment of cancer with image-guided radiotherapy has acquired.

The TrueBeam system, from Varian Medical Systems, was designed from the ground up to be more powerful cancer treatments with pinpoint accuracy and precision. It integrates a unique new imaging and motion management technologies within an advanced new architecture that makes it possible to deliver faster treatments while monitoring and movement of the tumor, the door to new possibilities for the treatment of lung cancer, breast, prostate, head and neck, to compensate, as well as other forms of cancer that are treatable with radiation therapy. South Florida radio therapy is the only cancer center in the palm beaches and Treasure Coast with the TrueBeam-system and is now available in both the Boca and Jupiter location.

"TrueBeam is a real game-changer that enables us to handle even the most challenging cases with unprecedented speed and precision," said Ben Han, MD, radiation oncologist. "With a broad spectrum of new possibilities, TrueBeam breaks the mold in just about every dimension, making it possible for us to faster, more targeted treatments to tumors even if they move and change in time. We are very excited to be the first radiation oncology center in Florida to offer this amazingly accurate treatment. "

High speed treatments

With the dose delivery rates that 40-140 percent higher than earlier generations of Varian technology, the TrueBeam system is a complete treatment faster. This makes it possible to provide comfort more patient by reducing treatments, and to improve the precision by leaving more time for tumor precise aiming. "Intuitive" further automation speeds up treatments with a fivefold reduction in the number of steps that are required for guidance and dose delivery of the image.

Simple treatments that once 15 minutes or more have been able to be completed in less than two once the patient is in position. "These are important reductions in treatment time," said Dr. Eugene Shieh, radiation oncologist.

Improved precision

TrueBeam can be used for radiotherapy treatments, including image-guided radiotherapy and radiosurgery (IGRT and IGRS), intensity-intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), RapidArc ® radiotherapy and gated RapidArc.

The precision of the TrueBeam system is measured in multiples of less than a millimetre. This accuracy is made possible by the system refined architecture that synchronizes imaging, patient positioning, movement, beam shaping management and dose delivery, accuracy checks every ten milliseconds during the entire treatment. Critical data points are constantly being measured as the course of a treatment, to ensure that the system a "real isocenter", or the focal point of treatment maintains.

For lung cancer and other tumors subject to respiratory movement gated TrueBeam offers RapidArc ® radiotherapy, making it possible to check patient breathing and movement of the tumor compensate while delivering fast dose during a continuous rotation around the patient. "During the last decade, lung cancer was the leading cause of cancer for both men and women in the United States," said Drs Han and Wylie. "With TrueBeam, we can treat a moving Lung tumor like the standing still (1). We expect that this is a meaningful difference for lung cancer patients in the area. "

"With TrueBeam, we can choose the optimal treatment for every type of cancer," said Dr. Ben Han, MD. "This is a breakthrough which let us a broader spectrum of advanced radiotherapy treatment options bring many more patients. It represents a quantum leap in our ability to help people fight cancer. "

(1) underberg Rene WM et al. A dosimetric analysis of respiration-gated irradiation in patients with phase III lung cancer. Radiat Oncol. 2006; 1: 8.

Source: South Florida Radio Oncology