Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
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 time
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 Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL)
When radiation is used to treat Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, it is most often done with a carefully focused beam of radiation, delivered by a machine from outside the body. This is known as external radiation therapy.External beam radiation therapy for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma may include photon (most common), proton, or electron beams depending on the situation. Radiotherapy can be used as the main treatment for some types of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma if they are in the initial stages (stage I or II), since with high technology and precision it can be combated and eradicated. 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 Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) in Mexico
- According to the INEGI, Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma is the second cause of death by type of malignant tumor in men between 15 and 29 years of age.
The incidence of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma represents about 4% of pediatric cancers with an incidence of 4.5 per 100,000 inhabitants. - In Mexico, a frequency of 16% has been reported in the pediatric population, ranking second in malignant neoplasms in our country.
- According to the INEGI in Mexico, up to 2003, 935 cases were reported, with a higher incidence in the group of men between 15 and 19 years of age and in women the same incidence in the groups between 15 to 19 and 20 to 24 years of age.
Radiotherapy in the treatment of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
Radiation is extremely effective for the treatment of Lymphoma. This is because most lymphomas are quite sensitive to radiation. It means that they respond well to moderate doses of radiation.
For early-stage, intermediate-stage, and high-grade lymphomas, patients receive chemotherapy and then radiation to the area(s) initially affected. With advanced disease, radiation may be added to previously lumpy sites or to sites that are not responding well to treatment. Very low-dose radiation can also be used to control symptoms locally at any stage. For some rare types of low-grade lymphomas that present with limited disease, radiation therapy alone may be curative.
Intro-oncotherapy uses high-energy radiation to shrink tumors and kill cancer cells.