Advanced RapidArcTM Radiotherapy is now offered at St. Luke's Cancer Center in Bethlehem
Dr. Nimisha Deb
St. Luke's Cancer
Center
Extremely fast, highly precise therapy treats difficult tumors in a fraction of the time
Bethlehem, PA (11/11/2009) - RapidArc™, a state-of-the-art radiotherapy technology from Varian, is now available at St. Luke's Cancer Center in Bethlehem. RapidArc is an extremely fast, highly precise technology capable of treating more difficult tumors with intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT).
With RapidArc, beams can be delivered at any angle, so the dose is conformed more closely to the size, shape and location of the tumor while sparing surrounding healthy tissue.
Full-Circle High-Dose Deposit in a Single Rotation
RapidArc is capable of providing a full-circle high-dose deposit in a single rotation. This makes treatment with RapidArc up to eight times faster than other forms of radiation therapy, maximizing patient comfort. Applications for RapidArc at St. Luke's Cancer Center have included tumors of the pancreas, head and neck and prostate as well as spine metastases.
Limiting treatment time can be especially important for patients who are elderly or physically compromised, according to Nimisha Deb, MD, Section Chief, Radiation Oncology, St. Luke's Hospital & Health Network. "Also, since treatment times are dramatically shorter, the likelihood of tumor drift due to bodily motion is minimized. This allows for a more efficient and precise treatment."
