On July 1, 1987, I began treating cancer patients as a full-time radiation oncologist – a cancer specialist who uses radiation therapy to help cancer patients beat their disease. Today, almost 37 years later, I have the privilege of caring for cancer patients in a cancer center. Almost all types of cancer are treated differently; for example, breast cancer is treated differently from colon cancer, which is treated differently from lung cancer, and so on. In other words, the ultimate cure for cancer will come about through a series of advances related to each type of cancer. That said, the Zig Ziglar quote above captures a common thread in the noble quest to beat cancer: that common thread is called targeting.
During my 35 years of practicing cancer medicine, I have personally witnessed the evolution of new targeted cancer therapies that have remarkably improved the cure rates and/or survival experience of patients with cancer. of cancer. The goal of cancer care in 2023 and beyond is not only to cure the patient, but also to do so without causing unnecessary complications. This goal is achieved through the creation of new drug treatments that specifically target and kill abnormal cancer cells while leaving the body's normal cells unharmed so they can continue their daily tasks and functions. In my field of radiation oncology, this goal is achieved by targeting a tumor or cancer in the body with radiation therapy while leaving the good normal tissue surrounding it intact and undamaged.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, significant investments have been made to upgrade and install advanced radiation targeting equipment. A radiation linear accelerator, for example, combines the ability to “see the tumor/target” with real-time three-dimensional imaging and sophisticated motion management, then delivers sterilizing (tumor-killing) doses of radiation with precision and precision to this tumor. /target with speed. The machine rotates around the patient to deliver a prescribed dose of radiation from almost any angle. It features computer-controlled “sheets” or “fingers” that create openings of different shapes and sizes that sculpt the radiation beam to precisely match the three-dimensional shape of the tumor. This technology minimizes the dose to surrounding healthy tissue while treating tumors with precision measured in submillimeters. It enables advanced treatment techniques including intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT), stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS).
This advanced technology gives us the ability to precisely tailor cancer treatments that best suit each patient's condition. It provides revolutionary tools that allow us to treat difficult cancers such as lung, liver, breast, prostate, head and neck tumors, gastrointestinal tumors, kidney, pancreas and brain/spine. Treatments that previously took 10 to 30 minutes can now be completed in less than two to five minutes, allowing for a more comfortable patient experience with less time spent on the treatment device. Best of all, this amazing treatment that previously required long travel is now available near you.
Kevin L. Schewe is a radiation oncologist.