The choice of Radiation Therapy is one of the most common forms of cancer treatment. Why do doctors use it, you ask? Well, because radiation uses high-energy X-rays to focus upon and destroy cancer cells. When you’re looking for the best Radiologists in Pune, Onco Life Hospital, Pune, should be your first choice, for sure. Here’s an overview on the different kinds of radiation therapies used to treat cancers near sensitive organs.
Four types of radiation therapy are frequently used by Radiologists in Pune, when a tumor is close to sensitive organs. These can be used to treat many types of cancer:
- 3D Conformal Radiation Therapy (3DCRT) makes use of 3D scans to figure out the exact shape and size of the tumor. Here, radiation beams are shaped by tiny metal leaves and then arranged around to fit the tumor. By doing this, side effects to healthy surrounding tissues is limited. This kind of Radiation shows positive outcomes on brain cancer, neck and head cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer and prostate cancer.
- Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) keeps a track on the tumor or implanted markers when radiation is in process. In areas of the body that move, this kind of radiation proves effective. Included in this are cancers f the lungs, liver, pancreas, prostate as well as those cancers that are located close to critical organs.
- Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) makes use of radiation beams in multiples and directs them on the tumor. Our team of Radiologists in Pune at Onco Life Hospital use special planning software that calculates and minimizes dose to the surrounding normal tissues. When the tumour is extremely close to surrounding normal organs, this is an effective method.
- Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) uses multiple radiation beams, each having a different intensity. The way this happens is like this: When the treatment machine rotates, radiation beams are delivered from every angle. The highest dose of radiation is thus delivered on the tumor, while limiting it to healthy organs. VMAT can be used to treat several types of solid tumors that include prostate cancer, liver cancer and pancreatic cancer. Our Radiologists in Pune are experts at safely and precisely delivering this therapy.
Then there’s Internal radiation therapies which use a radioactive source in or near the cancer site. 3 of the common types of Internal Radiation include:
- Brachytherapy implants radioactive material into the body – yes! How? Well, dozens of tiny “seeds” or “pods” containing radioactive iodine are placed at the tumor site with a special needle or catheter. This is an outpatient procedure and used in the treatment of prostate, cervical, endometrial, vaginal and breast cancers.
- Intraoperative Radiation Therapy (IORT) proves effective when treating an exposed tumor during cancer surgery. IORT sends out a high dose of radiation to a surgically exposed treatment area. In this procedure, surrounding healthy organs and tissues are protected by lead shields. Our Radiologists in Pune use this type of radiation for certain gastrointestinal cancers and other cancers that are challenging to remove during surgery.
- Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) is not actually a surgery. What it is instead, is dozens of tiny radiation beams that treat tumors in the head and neck with a single radiation dose.
Then there’s another kind of radiation called External Beam Radiation which is delivered through a specialized machine directly to the cancer site. 3 kinds of therapies are administered by our Radiologists in Pune.
- Proton Therapy uses a beam of protons to serve up radiation to the tumor directly. A proton beam ensures it fits the shape and depth of the tumor while saving healthy tissues and organs. Our Radiologists in Pune use this kind of therapy to treat cancers of the prostate, lung, head and neck, liver, esophagus and brain, as well as for the treatment of lymphoma, pediatric cancers and other rare tumors.
- MRI Linear Accelerator tracks soft tissue-based tumors in actual time during radiation. When this treatment is on, the MRI works on obtaining real-time images. This ensures real-time control of the radiation beam during treatment and allows the radiologist to adapt the radiation delivery as needed at each treatment. This technique is used for multiple cancer types with a soft tissue component, ex. head and neck cancers and gastrointestinal cancers.
- Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) uses a narrower radiation beam. A more precise targeting of the tumor can be done and this therapy has been found to be useful for those patients who are not lined up for surgery. This is good in treating lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, and cancers that have spread to the bones.
Before finalizing a radiation treatment plan, our Onco Life Hospital Radiologists in Pune review the patient’s clinical history, pathology reports and imaging studies to decide the optimal radiation treatment for each patient.
