Radiation Oncology
From its beginnings, the Radiation Oncology program has been a technological leader in the fight against cancer. Today, Radiation Oncology has a new tool: intensity-modulated radiation therapy, or IMRT. Using a cutting-edge linear accelerator IMRT provides very precise targeting of pencil-thin beams to the tumor site. Because this technology narrowly focuses the radiation to minimize its impact on healthy tissue, patients can receive more treatments at higher doses than with traditional radiation therapy. The system also provides electronic recording and verification of all treatments, to ensure that patients are receiving the care they need. Virginia Hospital Center was the first medical center in Northern Virginia to offer this advanced therapeutic option.
Radiation Oncology also offers three-dimensional conformal therapy, a type of radiation therapy particularly effective in treating prostate, breast, and lung cancers. In addition, brachytherapy (radioactive implants), including radiation seed implants for the treatment of prostate cancer, and traditional radiation therapies for skin and other types of cancer, are available.
Patients receive not only superior medical care, but also superior service. The Radiation Oncology program offers flexibility and timeliness to accommodate patients’ schedules and needs. Patients can receive the periodic blood testing required during radiation therapy, consult with a nutritionist and have access to social services, all without leaving the Radiation Oncology Department. With help from the American Cancer Society, Red Cross and other community agencies, transportation for patients can be arranged. On-site registration and a convenient location make the process of receiving radiation therapy as seamless as possible.
New advances in radiation therapy are revolutionizing cancer treatment. Clinicians can now deliver higher doses of radiation to a tumor thus increasing the odds of destroying it and curing the patient. At the same time by minimizing the level of radiation delivered to surrounding tissue, the severity of side effects is reduced. Virginia Hospital Center's Radiation Oncology Department recently acquired a new state-of-the-art linear accelerator—the most advanced equipment of its kind in Northern Virginia. Using intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), this linear accelerator delivers high-dose radiation to cancerous tissue with pinpoint accuracy. This therapy is so precise that clinicians can now treat cancer in areas once thought impossible.
The ability to damage cancer cells through higher doses of radiation increases the chances of completely eliminating a tumor, versus temporarily slowing its growth. Through tiny beams of varying intensities of radiation, IMRT shapes the radiation beam so that only the tumor is highlighted and treated. Because IMRT only minimally affects surrounding tissue, the long-term effects of radiation are reduced.
Before a patient ever begins radiation therapy, advance planning software is used to simulate thousands of possible treatment options to determine the best way to deliver the radiation. Dosages and positioning are calculated well before the patient begins treatment. William B. Lundeen, M.D., radiation oncologist, sums up this new cancer treatment, "This new technology will advance radiation therapy to a new level of success, comfort and peace of mind for our patients."
Patients who receive radiation therapy treatments at Virginia Hospital Center are pleasantly surprised by the non-clinical environment of the new linear accelerator room. Decorated with upholstered furniture, hardwood trim, and back-lit paintings of flowers and nature scenes, the room provides a comfortable treatment setting.