Prostate cancer
Radiotherapy
The objective of radiotherapy is to deliver a high dose of radiation to a volume of treatment in order to maximize tumor control, keeping the dose in nearby tissues as low as possible to reduce the probability of severity of complications in normal tissues.
Clinical data has shown around 50% of patients would benefit from IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy ) treatment, but it must be performed safely, quickly and efficiently from planning to delivery.
Elekta (creators of our radiotherapy equipment, “Versa HD”) developed rotational IMRT, a delivery technique known in Spanish as Modulated Volumetric Arc Therapy (VMAT).
VMAT ( Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy ) is an advanced radiation therapy technique that delivers high doses of radiation specifically to the target (tumor) while reducing the dose to surrounding tissue and surrounding organs. With the use of single or multiple high-energy rays or particles that move in the form of interrupted arcs around the patient, this technique allows us to drastically reduce treatment times
This gives VMAT of:
- Greater control.
- Greater flexibility.
- Greater dose compliance.
The Elekta VMAT technique allows optimizing the administration of the dose to the needs of each patient, customizing their treatment according to their pathology. In this way, it provides a highly patient-focused procedure, giving us new method opportunities, while offering the freedom to simultaneously vary a number of parameters during the delivery of radiotherapy without having to compromise your treatment plan or its accuracy by time to administer.
Advantages of the VMAT
- Better compliance and dose homogeneity, especially around the spine.
- Lower average doses of OAR (Organs at Risk) vital, such as: heart, thyroid, esophagus, lung, among others.
- Maximum dose reduction in OARs, said dose reduction, could lead to an improvement in late effects and an increased quality of life.
Radiotherapy in prostate cancer
- Prostate cancer is the most frequent tumor in men, only in Mexico it ranks second in incidence during the year 2020, with 26,742 incidences per year.
At the COC we have a radiotherapy team that offers:
- Advances in systemic therapy and radiotherapy that have prolonged survival.
- Radiotherapy that reduces the risk of locoregional recurrence after surgery by at least 70%.
- Radiotherapy that prolongs survival in early and advanced stages after radical surgery.
We have the appropriate technology to apply modern techniques that offer long-term benefit by controlling late toxicity.
Situation of prostate cancer in Mexico
- According to the National Institute of Public Health (INSP), in Mexico prostate cancer is the deadliest type of cancer among men (9.8 deaths per 100,000 men).
After the age of 50, the possibility of developing prostate cancer increases. Men who are 45 years of age or older are at higher risk. Two out of three cases are detected in people over 65 years of age.
If the father or a brother has had prostate cancer, the risk increases up to 30%.
Radiotherapy in the treatment of prostate tumors
Radiotherapy for prostate cancer aims to destroy cancer cells while preserving, as much as possible, the normal tissue that surrounds them. External beam radiotherapy in prostate cancer is one of the standard treatment options for this type of cancer.
For men with localized prostate cancer, Radiation is as effective as surgery in treating the cancer. With either treatment, the chance that the cancer will spread is low. Radiation therapy can also be used as initial treatment for low-risk cancer that still exists only in the prostate. The cure rate for men with these cancers is about the same as for men treated with Radical Prostatectomy.
It may also be used in conjunction with hormone therapy, as an initial treatment for cancer that is growing outside the prostate to gain entry into nearby tissues. Or, if the cancer is not completely removed, or if the prostate area comes back after surgery. If the cancer is in an advanced stage, help control the cancer for as long as possible and help prevent or relieve symptoms.
Brachytherapy
We have a 3D Brachytherapy team guided by a Tomograph with which we will provide Interstitial Brachytherapy treatments that are evaluated in a personalized way for each patient. It is a safe procedure under anesthesia and on an outpatient basis through the temporary insertion of a radioactive source of Iridium-192. This technique can be indicated as booster monotherapy before previously indicated external radiotherapy; or in cases of local recurrent prostate cancer.