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MICHIGAN ONCOLOGY AND CANCER CARE
Through cutting edge research and treatment innovations, St. Joseph Mercy Oakland is at the forefront of efforts to combat Cancer in Michigan and provide the best in Michigan oncology care. Our patients are treated with the utmost care and respect to help them overcome cancer and other oncology related diseases.
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CLICK HERE FOR A FREE COPY
OF THE MEDICAL REPORT
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THE FACTS ABOUT Tomotherapy
Background
Tomotherapy is a form of Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT). This new type of radiation treatment relies on CT technology and is therefore, able to deliver radiation precisely to the cancerous tumor without damaging the healthy tissues or organs located near the growth. This new technology delivers radiation in ways that traditional radiation never could. For example, it is now possible to treat the lining of the lung and not the lung itself.
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Podcast Posted: 04/15/2009
Duration:
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Tomotherapy allows for the patient to lie comfortably while they are put into a machine similar to a CT for daily imaging. Daily imaging allows treatment teams to adjust the position and intensity of the radiation beams. Tomotherapy uses special technology that allows one beam to be divided into several, smaller beamlets. The additional angles that beamlets provide precise and effective doses of radiation in a way that was never possible before.
Cancers typically treated by this method include lung, breast, prostate, pancreas as well as head and neck tumors. Cancerous lesions that were originally treated with standard external beam radiation can be treated with tomotherapy.
There are many advantages to tomotherapy including: Precision. Radiation is delivered only to the tumor site preserving the healthy, surrounding tissue and organs. Customization. Because tomotherapy uses high-tech imaging, treatment teams can take daily images of the cancer to ensure that patient’s weight loss or tumor growth or shrinkage has not changed the location of the radiation site. Adaptability. Treatment plans can be changed at any time.
Tomotherapy is usually administered daily Monday through Friday. While this sounds time consuming, it is not. Each treatment session is approximately 20 minutes and includes five minutes for a daily CT scan and five more minutes for the delivery of treatment. The remaining ten minutes includes the time it takes to properly position the patient for treatment. Additionally, daily treatment and scans ensure that tumors are not being under or over-dosed.
Patients will lie on their back and may be fitted with a device to keep them from moving during treatment. Like a CT or MRI, it is important that patients do not move while in the machine. The table or couch that they are lying on will move the patient.
Please contact the SJMO referral line at 800.372.6094 for an oncologist near you.
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