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Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT) |
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First Cancer Patients In
Switzerland Treated Using RapidArc™ Technology From Varian
Medical Systems
Other Topics: Patient
Deductible Data,
Medical
Informatics Major
Varian Medical Systems
September 16, 2008
Doctors in Switzerland have carried out the country's first
clinical treatments using RapidArc™ technology from Varian
Medical Systems. Professor Franco Cavalli, president of the UICC
(International Union Against Cancer), symbolically pushed the
'beam-on' button to mark the occasion as the first of two anal
canal cancer patients became the first person in the country to
benefit from this advanced form of intensity-modulated
radiotherapy (IMRT). |
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Dr.
Antonella Fogliata, head of medical physics at the Istituto
Oncologico della Svizzera Italiana (IOSI) in Bellinzona, said,
"Both treatments were very fast and smooth and took about
seventy seconds to deliver. Previous comparable IMRT treatments
would have taken about twenty minutes so there are some real
benefits to using RapidArc, especially with regards to the
comfort of the patient. We think it will make a real difference
to cancer patients, particularly those with tumors in the pelvic
region."
Clinicians delivered the final boost of each patient's scheduled
radiotherapy course using RapidArc. They are believed to be the
first anal canal cancer patients in the world to be treated
using the fast and efficient new technology, which was
introduced by Varian earlier this year.
Professor Cavalli, medical director of the hospital and a
globally known medical oncologist, said, "It was a tremendous
pleasure to be involved and I want to congratulate the team on a
fantastic job."
IOSI, a comprehensive cancer center in the region of Ticino,
treats cancer patients using two linear accelerators. The
hospital has a history of pioneering advanced radiotherapy
techniques, having been the first in Switzerland to treat using
IMRT in 2001. Now IOSI has become the first non-university
hospital in Europe to implement clinical Varian RapidArc
treatments. Luca Cozzi, PD, research co-ordinator at IOSI and
co-ordinator of Varian's RapidArc Council of pioneering
hospitals, was instrumental in this landmark being achieved.
Clinician Dr. Alessandra Franzetti Pellanda said, "The first
patients fully realised the relevance of this innovation and
were proud to be asked to start this new era of radiation
oncology at IOSI. They see the RapidArc project as a clear
message of commitment of the clinic towards their daily needs
and their future."
"The quality of these treatments gives us confidence that most
of the pelvic area will benefit from the use of RapidArc," she
added. "We will also investigate other sites like breast with
concomitant integrated boost, esophagus and the known sites like
head and neck and base of the skull where colleagues from other
centers are already active."
RapidArc delivers a volumetric
intensity-modulated radiation therapy treatment in a single or
multiple arcs of the treatment machine around the patient and
makes it possible to deliver advanced image-guided IMRT two to
eight times faster than is possible with conventional IMRT.
Treatment planning analyses show that Varian's RapidArc matches
or exceeds the precision of conventional IMRT systems and spares
more of the healthy tissue surrounding the tumor. Unrelated
clinical studies on radiotherapy correlate the ability to spare
more healthy tissue with reduced complications and better
outcomes.
"RapidArc
extends the versatility of Varian's image-guided radiotherapy
system, adding volumetric arc therapy to other advanced
capabilities including fixed-beam IMRT and stereotactic
treatments," says Rolf Staehelin, Varian's European marketing
director. "By outfitting their treatment machine with this new
capability, clinicians such as those at IOSI will be able to
offer cancer patients an optimized treatment according to each
patient's specific needs."
About Varian Medical Systems
Varian Medical Systems, Inc., of Palo Alto, California, is the
world's leading manufacturer of medical devices and software for
treating cancer and other medical conditions with radiotherapy,
radiosurgery, proton therapy, and brachytherapy. The company
supplies informatics software for managing comprehensive cancer
clinics, radiotherapy centers and medical oncology practices.
Varian is a premier supplier of tubes and digital detectors for
X-ray imaging in medical, scientific, and industrial
applications and also supplies X-ray imaging products for cargo
screening and industrial inspection. Varian Medical Systems
employs approximately 4,800 people who are located at
manufacturing sites in North America and Europe and in its 60
sales and support offices around the world.
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