NEW RAY OF HOPE FOR CANCER PATIENTS

Radiation therapy revolutionized with TrueBeamSTx

A 40 year old lady with metastatic abdominal nodal disease received a new lease of life with advanced stereotactic body radiation therapy with TrueBeam STx at BGS Global Hospitals. The tumours which are located very close to critical organs cannot be treated to high doses of radiation that is required for cure. Hence such cases will be considered for palliation only. However with TrueBeam STx, curative treatment was offered to this patient for just 5 days without harming the kidney, intestines, spinal cord and the aorta.

Radiation therapy plays a very important role in the treatment of cancer as more than 70% of all cancer patients require radiation therapy at sometime during the course of their treatment. Hence it is important for one to know about the best equipment available in radiation therapy.

Radiation therapy in treating cancer has evolved from the time when radiations were used in the crude form, ie., the era of deep X-ray therapy to high energy linear accelerators. The main aim of radiation therapy is maximum radiation dose to tumour with maximum protection of normal tissues. To achieve this, technicalities like 3D CRT, Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy, RapidArc, Stereotactic Radio-therapy and Radiosurgery evolved. But all these features were not available in one machine. A center would have 2 to 3 machines to treat all kinds of tumors. 

The latest in radiation therapy technology currently available in the world is the TrueBeam STx, a versatile machine which is capable of treating any type of tumor situated in any part of body with any of the technology at a shorter time supported with image guidance before and during treatment.

The TrueBeam STx enables faster, accurate tumor targeting in the treatment of challenging cancers throughout the body. This latest technology targets cancer cells in tumors even in organs that move with respiration (lungs, liver and kidney) with amazing accuracy while sparing the surrounding normal healthy tissues. Radiation oncologists at BGS Global Hospitals routinely perform complex procedures with precision and patient comfort. 

Patient Benefits derived with TrueBeam STx :

Accuracy and Precision – in targeting tumours

Faster treatment – Treatment in a few minutes

Quick Imaging - On Board imaging enables doctors to actually “see” the tumor they treat and target tumors with sub-millimeter accuracy. It takes care of internal organ motion and day to day set up variations.

Respiratory Gating - Tumours in organs that move along with respiration are taken care of by respiratory gating

Reduced duration of treatment – Overall duration of treatment for some tumours reduced to few days

A ray of hope – For many cancers which were hitherto written off as having no cure, there is new ray of hope with Truebeam STx.

Maximum Patient Comfort – owing to the above factors

This endeavour is ably supported by a compassionate team of specialists who offer organ specific cancer treatment. BGS Global Cancer Institute is at the forefront of cancer treatment in India offering end to end cancer care from prevention to diagnosis to rehabilitation.

Head and Neck cancer

India has the highest incidence of Head & Neck cancer in the world. These cancers constitute about 40 – 50% of all cancers in India. 70% of them are tobacco related and hence are totally preventable.

 

These cancers occur in the most exposed and sensitive region of the body and afflict vital organs like voice box, tongue, lining of oral cavity, pharynx, nose, eyes and ears. On an average about 1.5 lakh new patients are diagnosed with Head and Neck cancers every year. Most of these cancers are curable if detected early.

Early Signs and Symptoms of Common Head & Neck Cancers.

• White patch, sore or ulcer in mouth.
• Difficulty or pain during swallowing
• Change of voice
• One sided throat pain
• Unexplained earache
• Chronic cough not responding to medical treatment
• Difficulty in breathing
• Lump in the neck or else where
• Bleeding/ discharge from ear, nose or mouth

Diagnosis

All that is required to diagnose common Head and Neck cancers is good light, an alert mind, an eye for detail and sensitive fingers.Majority of them can be diagnosed by simple clinical examinations alone. Biopsy is performed on OPD basis to obtain histological confirmation. Lumps can be diagnosed by simple fine needle aspiration cytology. 

Treatment options

Head and Neck is the most exposed region of the body, usually associated with image. It is also the most functional region involving vision, smell, and hearing, taste, swallowing and last but not the least the speech. Therefore the treatment must balanced aesthesis, function and control of cancer. Modern cancer treatment aims at maximum functional preservation with optimum cancer control.

Surgery and radiation alone are both effective in early stages, however both surgery and radiation therapy are required to treat advanced cancers. Unfortunately majority of the cases are advanced. In recent times, chemotherapy is being used to potentiate the efficacy of radiation therapy.

With newer advancements in the field of plastic and reconstruction surgery functional and reconstructive surgery is now performed resulting in restoration of vital functions thereby improving the quality of life. Jaw preserving surgery, voice preservation, speech restoration and state-of art micro vascular reconstruction are few of them. Reaching deep seated tumors and sparing the vital structures around it, was always a great challenge to the radiation therapist. Fortunately with newer technology such as the TrueBeam STx, targeted radiation can be delivered to all head and neck cancers within shortest period of time, sparing surrounding healthy tissues. 

Dr. R. P Deo, Head & Neck Onco Surgeon, BGS Global Hospitals

STEREOTACTIC RADIOSURGERY

- Now, a new advancement in Neurosurgery

The understanding and management of brain tumours has improved tremendously in the last two decades. Discovery of cell receptors, crucial enzymes and onco genes has made better understanding of tumour biology. There have been relentless efforts to improve therapeutic options for these tumours and thus resulting in improved surgical therapies, newer drugs and improvements in radiotherapy.

Stereotactic Surgery is a special field of neurosurgery designed to reach the tumour (focal point) in the brain in a minimally invasive way through a keyhole through a safe trajectory with precision. With advances in imaging calculations of X, Y and Z axis,reaching the target has become much more precise.

Delivery of Radiotherapy to these tumours has taken a significant leap forward by combining these two techniques. This has opened a new era of noninvasive neurosurgery called “Stereotactic Radiosurgery”. Here, in radiation beams are delivered through a stereotactic method to the tumour (point of interest) without damaging the surrounding brain or the vital structures. Once the diagnosis of a brain tumour is made with good imaging with the assistance of software and computers, the whole treatment can be planned beforehand like virtual reality - the area to be irradiated, the dose of radiation, the number of beams, directions, size, shape and volume of beams can be planned. Then the dose is calculated and divided between the areas and the beams. The whole planning is done and reconfirmed to ensure safety by the neurosurgeon and the radiotherapist. The patient is then shifted to the TrueBeam STx machine, which delivers the total dose of radiation through a rotating arc in just 3-4 minutes with absolute accuracy, speed and safety. The TrueBeam STx is the world’s most advanced radio therapy machine and technology commissioned for the first time in Asia-Pacific in Bangalore.

The patient is kept under observation for a day and discharged. The patient requires a regular follow up with the neurosurgeon for up to two years.

The indication for this technology and its clinical applications for the brain and spine disorders are rapidly expanding. Now It is the standard of treatment and of choice for vascular malformations of the brain and benign tumours. This is completely noninvasive, no incisions, no ICU stay and a limited hospital stay of 1-2 days only. In addition tumours in critical areas and in complex locations like skull base as well as residual tumours can be e treated effectively. Patients of all age groups can undergo this procedure. It opens a new option for the elderly people as well as those with medical complications who are otherwise not fit for surgery.

BGS Global Hospitals is always committed to provide state of the art care on par with the best international standards at affordable prices by adopting such technology .The Global Hospitals group is further expanding with such installations being made in Chennai and Mumbai in the near future.

Dr. N. K. Venkataramana

Vice-Chairman and Chief Neurosurgeon,

BGS Global Hospitals  Ph : 080 4906 7348/349