Only provider in the region to provide personalized adaptive radiation therapy
- For patients with tumors in an area of the body likely to change or shift
- Delivers more radiation to tumor, less to healthy tissues
- Reduces the risk of side effects by avoiding excessive radiation
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center is proud to be the first care provider in the region to begin offering adaptive radiation therapy. This advanced new treatment option is a more personalized and precise form of radiation therapy most beneficial for patients with tumors in areas of the body that may change or shift due to treatment or day to day life.
Adaptive radiation therapy uses state-of-the-art technology to enable a linear accelerator — the device used to deliver radiation used in medical treatment — to target cancer. The advanced technology in use at Roswell Park incorporates artificial intelligence to help the medical team determine the status, shape, size and position of the tumor in real time.
During traditional radiation therapy, a radiation oncology team determines where to target the radiation to limit the effect to surrounding healthy tissue. Each radiation treatment will follow this plan, even though throughout the course of treatment there can be changes within the body. Natural processes such as digestion can change the size and location of important structures. Certain types of tumors can also respond more quickly to radiation, causing them to shrink in size and make other tissues more susceptible to the radiation. With adaptive radiation therapy, the oncology team at Roswell Park can identify these changes and make immediate adjustments to a treatment plan.
“Introducing adaptive radiation therapy is an important milestone for cancer care in our region,” says Mark Farrugia, MD, PhD, a physician and faculty member with Roswell Park’s Department of Radiation Medicine. “This tool gives us the ability to modify treatment plans on the spot, accommodating daily changes in a patient’s anatomy. Our Adaptive Radiation Therapy program reflects Roswell Park’s commitment to leading with science and elevating the standard of care.”…