Radiation Oncology at Phoebe
Radiation therapy uses a low-intensity radiation beam to kill cancerous cells. Radiation can be used as a primary treatment or in combination with other treatment methods to reduce the size of a tumor before surgery. Radiation is most useful when treatment needs to be targeted at a precise point in the body (such as skin, uterus, cervix, prostate, brain, spine and other areas).
Today's more advanced diagnostic imaging equipment - such as that used at Phoebe Cancer Center in Albany, Georgia - allows better mapping of cancer sites and more precise targeting of radiation.
Cancer Treatment From Radiation Oncology Specialists
Advanced technology is only half of the story. The other half is our team of experts dedicated to treatment and recovery.
Patients at our radiation center have a complete team of experts on their side:
- Physicians
- Certified physicist
- A cancer nutritionist
- Radiation therapists
- Oncology-certified nurses
- Certified dosimetrist
- An oncology outreach coordinator
- Other support staff
Radiation oncology services at Phoebe include all aspects of:
- Nursing
- Follow-up
- Consultation
- Oncology treatment
- Treatment planning and dosimetry
- Other medical or technical service that is necessary to support you and your family
We provide a wide range of radiation treatment options and tailor treatments to individual patients. Specific treatments include (but not limited to):
IMRT: A More Advanced And Accurate Form Of Radiation Treatment
Intense Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), one of the latest and most advanced forms of radiation therapy, is a breakthrough treatment option oncologists at the Phoebe Cancer Center in Albany, Georgia, can choose for our patients.
IMRT technology allows extremely precise targeting of radiation treatment in order to minimize damage to surrounding healthy tissue.
Instead of using a single large radiation beam targeted at a cancerous tumor, IMRT breaks up the radiation into thousands of extremely thin beamlets that are directed at the tumor from many angles. The beamlets can be made to change shape to match the target and can even be made to bend around healthy tissues.
IMRT allows us to safely use radiation to treat cancers located close to delicate organs such as the spinal cord, eyes or rectum. It is especially useful in treating prostate cancer and metastatic brain cancers.
When used in prostate cancer treatment, the precise targeting of IMRT allows us to use higher dosages of radiation than is possible with standard radiation techniques. At the same time, because the surrounding healthy tissue receives less exposure to radiation, side effects are minimized.
Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS)
SRS is not actually surgery – no incisions are made. SRS delivers targeted radiation in fewer high-dose treatments (often only one treatment) than traditional therapy, which can help to preserve existing healthy tissue. SRS is used to treat functional abnormalities and small tumors of the spine and brain.
SBRT/SABR: Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy / Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy
Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy or Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy is an innovative approach utilizing a small number of treatments to eliminate a tumor that cannot be removed with surgery either due to the location of the tumor or the medical condition of the patient. The most common tumor sites addressed with this technique are lung, liver, and spine. SBRT is very similar to SRS, but instead of being completed in a single session, the dose of radiation dose is delivered over a course of several treatment sessions, instead of all at once.
SBRT involves a very specific treatment planning process with custom patient immobilization to maximize accuracy. Often times the patient is treated in a device that restricts respiratory motion to minimize the target/tumor movement. This is essential to reduce the potential side effects of radiation.
TomoTherapy - The Most Precise Radiation Therapy System For Targeting And Attacking Cancer
TomoTherapy gives Phoebe Cancer Center radiation oncologists in Albany, Georgia, a higher chance of killing cancer with lower risk to the patient, as well as decreased side effects.
TomoTherapy can target a tumor more accurately and attack the cancer with thousands of tiny, precisely aimed beamlets. Then it retargets and re-aims to hit the cancer every single day during the course of treatment.
TomoTherapy Benefits:
- High cure rate
- Lower radiation doses
- More accurate to protection surrounding healthy tissue
What is Brachytherapy?
Until fairly recently, the two preferred methods of treating prostate cancer were surgery or radiation. Each is effective, but there are some drawbacks, primarily the risk of impotence or incontinence.
A newer treatment method called brachytherapy uses small radioactive "seeds" implanted directly around the cancerous tissue. The patient effectively carries his treatment around with him. The seeds give off low-level radiation for about a year, destroying the cancer cells. Since only a small amount of tissue is irradiated by each seed, the amount of radiation reaching the adjacent organs such as the colon or bladder is minimized, so there is a reduced risk of damage to these organs.
Prostate Brachytherapy at Phoebe
Prostate brachytherapy is an option available to patients at the Phoebe Cancer Center in Albany, Georgia. Depending on the patient's case, brachytherapy may also be supplemented by a course of external radiation therapy. In almost all cases, the patient can quickly return to his normal daily activities.
Brachytherapy requires the expertise of professionals from several disciplines, and is a cooperative procedure done by our radiation oncologists and urologists.
For more information about treatment options or to schedule an appointment, call 229-312-7124 or 229-312-2260.