• 3/16/2006
  • Aurora, CO
  • staff
  • cherrycreeknews.com

Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers recently announced the use of a new technology, image guided radiation therapy (IGRT), which ensures even greater accuracy when performing the latest radiation cancer treatments on patients with cancers of the prostate, liver, head and neck, or lung. IGRT is also being used to treat tumors in any body site requiring the most precise and accurate radiation treatments possible. With IGRT, doctors have the ability to provide patients the best results by enhancing the accuracy of the radiation dose, resulting in a decrease of side effects historically caused by the irradiation of normal body tissues. RMCC is the first community cancer centers in Colorado to use this technology.
“IGRT gives us the opportunity to treat our patients’ cancer with amazing accuracy because we can confidently target a smaller area for treatment,” explained Chad Levitt, M.D., radiation oncologist at RMCC. “Previously, we had to target larger areas because of the inevitable movement of body organs such as the prostate. By allowing us to target a smaller treatment area, IGRT minimizes the potential harm of radiation to surrounding healthy tissue and organs. In some cases, this improved tolerability allows us to deliver more radiation to the tumor itself in hopes of improving cure rates.”

According to Dr. Levitt, with IGRT, gold markers are implanted during a procedure into the cancerous tumor to act as a reference system for the radiation treatment to focus in on. These markers do not move. Prior to each radiation treatment, the markers are localized by x-ray images, allowing the doctor to accurately relocate the tumor and accommodate for organ motion on a daily basis. For example, a prostate tumor will move if the patient has a full bladder or rectum. Through IGRT, this movement is detected, maximizing increased accuracy during the treatment.

“IGRT represents a significant step forward in treating cancerous tumors with radiation therapy, “ said Dr. Levitt. “With IGRT, we know exactly where the bull’s-eye (cancerous tumor) is every single treatment, thus allowing us to pinpoint the radiation for maximum effectiveness.”

IGRT is often used with intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). IMRT is used in treating cancerous tumors by increasing the dosage delivered to the tumor while protecting the surrounding tissues and organs. IMRT allows physicians to more precisely deliver radiation treatments in a focal manner, and with IGRT these focal treatments are delivered to the bull’s-eye 100% of the time.

Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers is Colorado’s largest and most comprehensive provider of cancer care with 20 locations and more than 60 physicians throughout the state. RMCC physicians are actively involved in leading research with access to more than 80 nationwide clinical trials encompassing all types of cancer.