Radiation Therapy
Increasing treatment efficacy while minimizing side effects.
Radiation therapy, or “radiotherapy,” is the treatment of cancer using ionized radiation. Radiotherapy works by irradiating cancer cells, which harms and ultimately destroys them. For certain types of cancers, radiotherapy can be delivered internally, which is called “brachytherapy.” However, many more types of cancer are treated by delivering the radiation via a beam from an external source, called “external-beam radiation therapy.”
How does external-beam radiotherapy work?
External-beam radiotherapy treats cancer by relying on the faulty DNA of cancer cells. A beam of ionized radiation is directed at a tumor, affecting the cancer cells and any other cells exposed to the beam. But normal cells, with healthy DNA, recover from each treatment while cancer cells do not. Over the course of multiple treatments, the cancer cells are destroyed.
Treating the tumor with minimal exposure to normal tissue.
Although normal cells have the ability to recover, the goal of radiation therapy is to maximize the dose to the tumor while minimizing exposure to normal tissue (and, therefore, the risks and severity of side effects). The challenge is to conform the radiation delivery as precisely as possible to the location, shape, size and orientation of the tumor. Over the years, external-beam radiotherapy has advanced to offer ever-better targeting and conformance in order to shrink and destroy tumors:
- Three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT) – Using three-dimensional imaging (computed tomography, or “CAT scan”), our oncologists and physicists can devise a treatment based on — and customized to — a tumor’s shape, size, location and proximity to other anatomic structures.
- Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) – Powerful software lets us plot treatment angles and varied beam intensities based on the true size, shape, density, location and orientation of the tumor. Pairs of tungsten “leaves” extend into and retract out of the radiation beam, shaping smaller beams and modulating radiation intensity for even greater 3D conformance.
- Image-guided radiation therapy – IMRT and 3DCRT treatment is based on the tumor’s location, shape, size, etc. at the time that images were acquired. But the tumor (and normal structures) can move between planning and treatment, which means that there must be “margins” to allow for this movement. With IGRT, we use imaging technologies to locate tumor position and orientation at the time of each treatment, which improves accuracy, reduces the treatment margins and further minimizes exposure to normal tissue.
Get informed, experienced care from Austin’s radiotherapy innovators.
More than 30 years ago, the oncologists of Austin Cancer Centers created Austin’s first true radiation oncology program. Since then, our cancer specialists have been the first in the area to implement nearly every single radiotherapy advancement. In addition to our unsurpassed experience with radiation therapy, we have earned reputations for medical excellence and unwavering compassion and dedication.
For more information about external-beam radiation therapy, other forms of cancer treatment or cancer care in general. Please don’t hesitate to call Austin Cancer Centers or Georgetown Cancer Center in Central Texas today at 512.623.5269 or 512.763.3851.
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Bringing the fight directly to cancerous tissue.
In the treatment of cancer, there are two types of radiation therapy, also known as “radiotherapy.” External-beam radiotherapy is when radiation is delivered to a tumor from an outside source. The other form, called “brachytherapy,” is when radiation is delivered from within the body by small pellets, or “seeds.” Advances in external-beam radiation treatment have dramatically improved its ability to treat an ever-widening range of people and cancers. Certain patients and situations are more appropriate and effectively treated using brachytherapy, which has also advanced.
The role of LDR brachytherapy in the modern age of cancer care.
In low-dose-rate (LDR) brachytherapy, tiny radioactive seeds are permanently implanted in or around a tumor. The main advantage is that a cumulatively high dose can be delivered to the tumor or problem organ (usually the prostate) with minimal exposure to other organs or structures. LDR brachytherapy can be the sole treatment for early cancers confined to a specific organ or can be combined with other forms of treatment for more advanced disease.
Austin Cancer Centers & Georgetown Cancer Center uses premier patient-customized brachytherapy seeds from IsoAid. These seeds, used primarily for the treatment of localized prostate cancer, allow more precise, more effective brachytherapy. That’s because IsoAid brachytherapy seeds are customized to the needs of each patient and thus, offer a greater prescription for successful treatment.
Increasing dose while minimizing risks with HDR brachytherapy.
At Austin Cancer Centers & Georgetown Cancer Center, for cases where it is appropriate, we use high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy. Whereas LDR seeds deliver their cumulative dose over a long period of time, HDR’s radioactive beads are temporary, held in place for a few minutes and then removed. This process is repeated over several days, allowing for a larger dose to the cancer while minimizing the exposure to surrounding tissues. HDR treatments sessions are brief and generally fewer in number than external-beam radiation treatments. HDR also minimizes risks and side effects.
Choosing the most appropriate approach.
At Austin Cancer Centers & Georgetown Cancer Center, our oncology specialists use brachytherapy when it will be both appropriate and effective. With a long tradition of innovating radiation treatment in Austin, our physicians are experienced in selecting which patients and cancers will best benefit from internal radiation and from either HDR or LDR seeds. We know what options are best for aggressive disease and at what stage a particular treatment will or won’t be effective. While brachytherapy may be recommended for other cancers, the most common types of disease it treats are:
- Breast cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Cervical cancer
Trust the caring team with a reputation for total commitment.
The oncologists at Austin Cancer Centers & Georgetown Cancer Center are known today not only for their comprehensive care and technical capabilities but for their experience, compassion and commitment. We know that cancer requires dedication, attention to detail and focus, because it affects people’s lives significantly. So our commitment is to people and to helping them beat cancer and get back to their lives.
To find out more about radiation therapy, cancer care in general or our personal commitment and compassionate care, call our cancer centers today at 512.623.5269 or 512.763.3851.
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Providing a new chance for hope for cancer patients.
Historically, certain patients have had very few options for cancer treatment or none at all. Some people are ineligible for treatment with surgery or radiation due to other medical conditions, and certain tumors are surgically untreatable or are resistant to radiation. Today, even these people have reason to hope.
Radiosurgery: A proven method for treating cancer.
Radiosurgery, or “radiation surgery,” is a form of radiation that has been used for decades to shrink or destroy tumors of the brain, especially inoperable tumors. With advances in computing power, delivery systems and tumor targeting, radiosurgery now can treat tumors elsewhere in the body and, therefore, a greater number of people.
How does radiosurgery work?
Radiosurgery is different from conventional radiation therapy, or “radiotherapy.” With radiotherapy, a beam of ionized radiation damages tumor cells. While normal cells have healthy DNA and are able to recover from exposure to radiation, cancer cells have faulty DNA and can’t recover. Over multiple treatment sessions (as many as 30), healthy cells continue to recover while cancer cells perish. Radiosurgery, however, treats cancer cells with far greater precision. As a result, the radiation dose to the tumor can be significantly greater while irradiation of normal tissue — and critical anatomical structures — is still much less. So, while radiotherapy slowly kills cancer cells that fail to recover after many sessions, radiosurgery quickly destroys them in as few as one to five short treatment sessions.
An option for people who thought they had none.
With greater precision and fewer sessions, radiosurgery has much lower cumulative exposure and can be used to treat many people ineligible for radiotherapy. Radiosurgery can also be used to treat patients ineligible for surgery as well as tumors beyond the reach of surgical intervention. In fact, with various types of delivery systems now available, our oncology specialists can radiosurgically treat many different types of cancers. Plus, radiosurgery typically has less risk of complications or side effects than surgery or chemotherapy. Patients usually go home and resume normal activities immediately after treatment.
Combining a tradition of innovation with a unique degree of heart & compassion.
At Austin Cancer Centers & Georgetown Cancer Center in Central Texas, we introduced radiation oncology to Austin. And we have introduced the area to nearly all of the advances in radiation treatment for cancer over the past 30 years. We pride ourselves on our innovative spirit, and we’ve learned from the thousands of people who have touched our lives that compassion and commitment are as important as skill and experience.
Learn what you need to know about cancer, radiosurgery and the many ways our oncologists help in the fight against this disease. Call Austin Cancer Centers or Georgetown Cancer Center in Central Texas today at 512.623.5269 or 512.763.3851 or use our Online Appointment Request Form.
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AccuBoost for breast cancer patients
Women with early stage breast cancer increasingly choose breast conservation therapy (BCT). In the BCT option, the cancerous tumor is surgically removed in a procedure known as lumpectomy. To minimize the chances of the cancer recurrence, physicians recommend a course of follow-up treatments which always include radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy and/or hormonal therapy.
Radiation therapy is used to effectively “sterilize” any residual cancerous or pre-cancerous microscopic tissue that may exist in the vicinity of the tumor. Radiation therapy is an indispensable part of the BCT procedure. Radiation of the breast tissue can be performed by different techniques. The established standard-of-care for breast radiotherapy is whole breast irradiation (WBI). This is a procedure that is performed daily for a period of 6-7 weeks after surgery. An important part of the WBI process is the delivery of a higher localized dose, known as the “boost dose”, to the lumpectomy cavity margin – the most likely site for cancer recurrence. AccuBoost is designed to target and deliver the all-important boost dose accurately and reliably.
How does Accuboost work?
The AccuBoost dose delivered in this process is uniform, homogeneous and is accurately targeted to the breast tissue which, if left untreated, is the most likely sites for cancer recurrence.
AccuBoost's step-by-step diagrams:
Step 1: Select Target & Applicator Size
The breast is slightly compressed (immobilized), then imaged to locate the lumpectomy cavity and determine the size and position of the applicator to be used for delivering the radiation.
Step 2: Vertical Treatment
Radiation is delivered in both vertical directions.
Step 3: Horizontal Treatment
The breast is immobilized in a different (horizontal) orientation, an image is taken to locate the lumpectomy cavity and to select the applicator size, then radiation is delivered in the both horizontal directions.
Step 4: Overlapping Treatment
The dose builds up in the tissue where the two treatments overlap – everywhere else receives a lower dose.
The importance of targeting the boost dose
The AccuBoost procedure is an image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) technique which scientifically targets the radiation dose to the intended site. The real-time image guided procedure uses radiographic (mammographic) equipment to image and pinpoint the tissue that needs to be irradiated. Based on real-time images obtained, the AccuBoost system is able to position the applicator that delivers the therapeutic dose, accurately and reliably to irradiate the part of the breast that has been designated to receive the additional dose. The AccuBoost design gives the radiation oncologist the needed confidence that “you see what you treat and you treat what you see”. Furthermore, the AccuBoost system is capable of recording the therapeutic dose. This feature can be used to adjust and fine tune the radiation field throughout the procedure and archive the information for future reference. This feature of the AccuBoost system gives the radiation oncologist the comfort and piece of mind to know “not only you treat what you see, but also you keep a record what was treated.”
Dose Recording
AccuBoost allows for dose recording directly from the actual treatment.
The AccuBoost design is capable of recording the exit dose (radiation that penetrates through the breast) and provides dose recording for each fraction. The step-by-step dose recording procedure is shown in the following diagrams:
1. Intial Localiation: The mammography system is used for identification of the lumpectomy site.
2. Recording Dose: The AccuBoost applicators are positioned to deliver the dose. Computed Radiography (CR) plates record the exit dose.
3. Generate Digital Image: The CR plates (the imaging film) are scanned to provide a digital map of the dose in each fraction.
4. Dose Map Archiving: The digital image is displayed and analyzed for in-process adjustment and archived for future reference.
Excellent Dose Quality
The AccuBoost dose is uniform over the portion of the breast designated for irradiation; the dose is homogeneous – free of hot and cold spots; it is focused and reduces unnecessary exposure to healthy tissue; it limits exposure to neighboring organs and minimizes potential collateral damage and longer term complications. The image guided and non-invasive AccuBoost procedure is designed to deliver a uniform, homogeneous, and focused dose to the lumpectomy site and minimize the side effects of radiation therapy.
ASK YOUR ONCOLOGIST FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ACCUBOOST.
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