Lung 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 lung cancer
The latest external beam radiation therapy techniques have been shown to help doctors treat lung cancers more precisely while reducing radiation exposure to nearby healthy tissue. 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.
- Advances in systemic therapy and radiotherapy that have prolonged survival.
Situation of lung cancer in Mexico
- In Mexico, lung cancer is ranked seventh due to its frequency, however, it is the most lethal tumor, which is why it ranks as the first cause of death from cancer.
In the last decade its incidence increased by 30 percent. - Every year about eight thousand Mexicans die from this neoplasia.
Radiotherapy in the treatment of lung tumors
In radiation therapy, high-energy x-rays are given that can kill cancer cells. For example:
- To reduce the size of the tumor before surgery
- After surgery to kill any cancer cells that may be left in the treated area
- To treat lung cancer that has spread to the brain or other parts of the body, or to relieve symptoms.
- Radical treatment for inoperable stage 1 by SBRT.
In addition to attacking the tumor, radiation therapy can also help relieve some of the symptoms caused by the tumor, such as bleeding. When used as the initial treatment instead of surgery, radiation therapy can be done alone or in combination with chemotherapy. Today, many patients with small localized lung cancer who are not eligible for surgery are receiving a new radiation technique called stereotactic radiation therapy (SBRT). Patients who are not suitable for surgery include the elderly, patients with chronic heart failure, and patients receiving anticoagulant medications, which put them at risk of bleeding during surgery. SBRT involves the use of a large number of small focused radiation beams for treatment, In most cases, radiation therapy is given using the external beam technique, in which an x-ray beam is sent directly to the tumor. Treatment is given in a series of sessions, or fractions, typically over six to seven weeks for conventional treatments and one to five treatments for patients who can be treated with SBRT.
Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (V-MAT ) is a relatively new technique that 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.
Brachytherapy
We have a Brachytherapy team with which we will provide Endobronchial Brachytherapy treatments that are evaluated in a personalized way for each patient. Through the temporary insertion of a radioactive source of Iridium-192. It is mainly used for bleeding and palliative treatments.