Oncology

Yashoda Commissions 1st RapidArc for Cancer

RapidArc is a form of volumetric arc therapy that operates up to eight times faster than conventional IMRT

Yashoda group of Hospitals announced the commissioning of Asia's first RapidArc-radiation technology unit at new Yashoda Cancer Hospital at Somajiguda, Hyderabad shortly. Arc is the latest technology in radiation therapy treatment that is going to be introduced at Yashoda Hospital simultaneously along with leading cities world over. After its R&D in the US and abroad, Varian Medical Systems is introducing RapidArc as a major advancement in high precision radiotherapy treatment delivery, which will improve dose conformity and shorten treatment times with more accurate and focused radiation at no additional cost.

The RapidArc is a form of volumetric arc therapy that operates up to eight times faster than conventional or helical Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT). According to Varian researchers, RapidArc therapy can conform the treatment beam more closely to the tumor shape, and is well suited for a variety of clinical sites, such as the prostate, head, neck, lungs, breast, ovarian, cervix cancers.

Said Dr Luco Cozzi, Professor of Oncology, Institute of Southern Switzerland, "Rapid Arc is a major advancement in treatment delivery, which is time efficient and capable of delivering precisely highly conformal sculpted 3D dose distribution with excellent dosimeter accuracy in a single arc of 360 degrees rotation, using Image Guidance (IGRT). RapidArc technology, doses are much more precisely concentrated on tumors, allowing better protection for surrounding healthy tissues."

Said Dr GS Rao, Managing Director, Yashoda Group of Hospitals, "It is a tragedy that incidence of cancer has been increasing by 13 per cent. Every year more than 8 million people die of cancer -that's more than AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria put together. One out of every fourth cancer patient in the world is an Indian. In addition to the tragic loss of life, cancer also can devastate families financially through the loss of income and the expense of treatment."

The RapidArc technology will be more useful to the cancer patients for accurate and better treatment without any cost addition. It is a more accurate and more focused 360 degree radiation therapy useful in treatment of all cancers with no extra cost and without any side effects. In this motion radiation, the radiation beam moves as per human respiration in accordance to heartbeat along with cancer tumor and cures it.

With advanced IMRT, Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) and tomotheraphy features, it aims to improve dose conformity while shortening treatment times by a significant amount. It has the potential to improve the quality of care and patient comfort, in addition to fostering more affordable treatment in radiation oncology. Rapid Arc represents a major medical advance that will change the way radiation therapy is planned and delivered. Rapid Arc will make better-quality radiotherapy at a more affordable and a more accessible treatment option, and enable more cancer patients to receive a higher standard of care. Varian's new Rapid Arc technology is aimed at delivering volumetric modulated arc therapy by quickly delivering a complete IMRT treatment in a single rotation of the treatment machine around the patient.

"Doctors can use Rapid Arc for better prostate, head and neck treatments, and still offer fixed beam IMRT treatment with motion management for lung and breast tumors and electron treatments for patients with lymphomas and skin cancers. No other treatment technology offers this kind of versatility for customising treatments according to each patient's specific needs,” informed Dr Rao.

EH News Bureau