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Cancer Care at Cape Regional Medical Center
Thomas & Claire Brodesser, Jr. Cancer Center at Cape Regional Medical Center Acquires State-of-the-Art Radiation Therapy Technology In a proven development for cancer patients in Cape May County and South Jersey, Cape Regional Medical Center has installed the TrueBeam™ system from Varian Medical Systems. This innovative technology delivers powerful image-guided radiosurgery treatments for cancer with pinpoint accuracy and precision. TrueBeam™ is fast and precise, making it possible to deliver highly accurate image-guided radiosurgery treatments in just a few minutes per day. A complex treatment that typically takes 30 to 60 minutes can be completed in just 5 to 20 minutes. This is important, as independent studies have shown that with faster treatments there is less time for tumor and patient movement. “Almost everyone is touched by cancer at some point-whether personally, or through a loved one. TrueBeam™ will enable us to treat even the most challenging cases with unprecedented speed and precision,” stated Albert S. DeNittis, M.D., M.S., Medical Director of the Thomas & Claire Brodesser, Jr. Cancer Center at Cape Regional Medical Center. “In some cases we can reduce the number of treatments from 40 to 5 treatments. This is a tremendous benefit to the patient.” Image-guidance tools generate 3-D anatomical images 60% faster, using 25% less radiation dose. Tumors and other abnormalities are targeted with submillimeter accuracy. Even tumors that move when a patient breathes, (for example, those in the prostate, lung or breast) can be precisely targeted due to special tools that compensate for motion throughout treatment. TrueBeam™ delivers a full range of radiotherapy modalities, including image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT), intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), RapidArc® radiotherapy technology and Gated RapidArc - a new approach that compensates for tumor motion during treatment. This means we can choose the best form of treatment for each patient. For a patient brochure on the TrueBeam™ or information about Cancer Care at Cape Regional Medical Center, please contact us at 609-463-2298. View/Download Brochure (pdf) Frequently Asked Questions: What is the Varian TrueBeam system? The TrueBeam™ system is an advanced radiotherapy system from Varian Medical Systems. It was engineered from the ground up to deliver more powerful cancer treatments with pinpoint accuracy and precision. It uniquely integrates advanced imaging and motion management technologies within a sophisticated new architecture that makes it possible to deliver treatments more quickly while monitoring and compensating for tumor motion, opening the door to new possibilities for the treatment of lung, breast, prostate, head and neck, as well as other cancers. Why would a patient want to be treated with Varian TrueBeam? A doctor may prescribe treatment with the TrueBeam system for many reasons. This technology gives medical professionals the tools to treat many different types of cancers. Also, TrueBeam is fast. Simple treatments that once took 10 to 30 minutes can now be completed in less than two minutes. As well as allowing for a more comfortable experience for the patient with less time on the treatment couch, faster delivery also allows for reduced chances of tumor motion during treatment, which helps protect nearby healthy tissue and critical organs. The precision of the TrueBeam system is measured in increments of less than a millimeter. This accuracy is made possible by the system’s sophisticated architecture, which synchronizes imaging, patient positioning, motion management, beam shaping and dose delivery, performing accuracy checks every ten milliseconds throughout the entire treatment. TrueBeam imaging technology can produce the three-dimensional images used to finetune tumor targeting in 60% less time than previous Varian imaging technology. Additional functionality makes it possible to create images using 25% less X-ray dose. These images are used to fine-tune a patient’s position prior to and during the treatment process. For lung and other tumors subject to respiratory motion, TrueBeam offers Gated RapidArc® radiotherapy, which makes it possible to monitor the patient’s breathing and compensates for movement of the tumor while the dose is being delivered in a continuous rotation of the treatment machine. In addition to its impressive technical specifications, TrueBeam has also been designed with patient comfort in mind. It operates quietly and provides built-in music capabilities so the patient can listen to music during their treatment. The patient is in constant two way communication with the therapist who operates the system. Plus the therapist will be able to visually monitor and see the patient through two closed-circuit television systems. How does radiotherapy work? An effective treatment for cancer, radiotherapy has been used safely for many years—in fact, according to the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO); nearly two out of every three cancer patients receive some type of radiotherapy during their treatment. In basic terms, radiotherapy works by limiting the ability of cancer cells to grow and spread. Radiation disrupts the DNA of these fast-growing cancer cells and prevents them from replicating. The radiation is generated by a machine called a medical linear accelerator. This machine shapes beams of energy with varying intensities, which can be aimed at a tumor from multiple angles to attack the target in a complete three-dimensional manner. In fact, TrueBeam’s treatment can be delivered with submillimeter accuracy and varying intensity. The idea is to deliver the lowest dose possible to the surrounding healthy tissue, while still delivering the maximum dose to the tumor. What happens when a person is treated with radiotherapy? TrueBeam treatment involves several basic steps: diagnosis, the planning of the individual treatment and the delivery of the treatment. After their diagnosis, the medical physicist generates three-dimensional diagnostic images (usually CT or MRI) of the tumor and the area around it. They then use these images to specify the dose of radiation needed to treat the tumor. A radiation oncologist will work with a physicist to plan an individualized treatment. What is unique about treatment using Varian’s TrueBeam technology? The main advantages of the Varian TrueBeam system are ease, precision and speed. Thanks to its pinpoint accuracy, the TrueBeam system can be used to treat many different types of tumors, including those in sensitive areas such as the prostate, abdomen, liver, lung, breast, and head and neck. We can now treat prostate cancer in 5 treatments versus the standard 40. Treatments focus powerful radiation on the tumor
while minimizing exposure of surrounding healthy tissues. TrueBeam was
designed from the ground up to seamlessly integrate sophisticated
imaging and radiation delivery treatments. What this means for patients
is accuracy, speed and comfort. What it means for medical professionals
is the ability to treat many different types of complex cancer cases. For more information regarding the Varian TrueBeam System, please contact the Marketing and Public Relations Department at 609-463-2059. Download/Print TrueBeam System Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)
Comprehensive, state-of-the-art cancer care close to home is what Cape Regional Medical Center provides the patients and families in Cape May County. Cape Regional Medical Center's Cancer Care Center is a member of the Penn Medicine Network. This joint affiliation strengthens Cape Regional's mission to provide the highest quality healthcare in our community by offering an integrated system of care through Penn Medicine. Penn's Cancer Network hospitals, including Cape Regional, were chosen for their commitment to excellence in patient care and improving the health of the communities they serve. For more information on the Penn Cancer Network please visit the following link: http://www.penncancer.com/network.cfm. In addition, Cape Regional's Cancer Care Program has received the recognition of the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons by being awarded accreditation. Oncology programs earning recognition from the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons offer high-quality cancer care. Only one in four hospitals that treat cancer receive this special approval. It recognizes the quality of comprehensive cancer care available at a facility and offers a commitment that you will have access to all of the various medical specialists who are involved in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. For more information please visit the following link: http://www.facs.org/cancer/index.html. Cape Regional Medical Center's multidisciplinary
cancer programs address
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Cape Regional Medical Center, Cape May Court House, NJ |
