Liver 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 liver cancer
Modern modalities of conformal radiation therapy help ensure precise delivery of radiation to liver tumors. At the COC we have a radiotherapy team that offers:
- A patient with liver cancer is offered a multidisciplinary approach between oncological surgery, radiotherapy and medical oncology, which will offer personalized treatment with the aim of prolonging survival and local control of the disease.
- 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 in this region by offering stereotactic radiosurgery (SBRT). Since SBRT can use respiratory gating (VMAT) for patients with epatocellular carcinoma.
Situation of liver cancer in Mexico
According to the Ministry of Health, it is estimated that in Mexico every year 8 thousand people are diagnosed with liver cancer. It has a high level of mortality between 80 and 85%. In addition, an increase in the number of cases is expected, since it is usually identified in very advanced stages.
Mexico ranks second in liver cancer mortality worldwide with more than 5,000 deaths per year.
According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Mexicans are twice as likely to develop type 2 diabetes than non-Hispanic whites, which could increase the risk of breast cancer. liver.
Radiotherapy in the treatment of liver tumors
Radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high-energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing.
In epatocellular cancer, radiotherapy specialists have to use the best technology based on respiratory monitoring and volumetric arc radiotherapy that is described below:
Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (V-MAT): This technique achieves greater precision than IMRT in less time, which could allow higher doses to the tumor and greater protection to healthy organs. The VMAT delivers a continuous beam of radiation therapy in one or more arcs that move around the treatment area. Automatically changes beam shape and radiation dose as you move. VMAT treatment sessions are generally shorter than IMRT, around 10 minutes.
Stereotaxic Ablative Body Radiosurgery (SABRT) : This technique delivers a very high dose of extracranial radiotherapy of between one and 5 fractions. The procedure uses multiple, precisely focused radiation entry sites to treat tumors and other problems throughout the body. By keeping the patient in the same position during each treatment, this procedure produces less damage to nearby healthy tissue.
Active Breathing Coordinator: Provides non-invasive internal immobilization of anatomies affected by respiratory movement using simple, efficient, and controlled breath-holding techniques. ABC provides the ability to protect healthy tissues through PTVmargin reduction and decrease dose to critical structures through optimal organ-at-risk (OAR) preservation.