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| 2006
NEWS |
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For
information, call:
Jane Dreher, Public Relations Director
(909) 335-5566 |
New form of radiation spares healthy tissue for prostate cancer patients
Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) customizes
beams to increase radiation accuracy
By Jane
Dreher, Redlands Community Hospital
| REDLANDS, CA - It
may be that all prostate cancer patients need is a little beam of
hope. For the many men diagnosed with prostate cancer, which is the
nation’s leading cancer in men, concerns about side effects abound.
Redlands Community Hospital wants to educate the community about
symptoms and a new treatment options. |
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| Many
patients are undergoing a new method of radiation therapy that
physicians are calling a photon scalpel. It is giving patients a new
lease on life with fewer of the common side effects of prostate
cancer treatment. IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy) is
considered a revolutionary way for physicians to administer
radiation therapy that conforms specifically to the shape of each
individual prostate. Redlands Community Hospital has acquired the
new IMRT technology to provide another treatment option for the
community. |
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| "Many
prostate cancer patients are confused with the variety of surgical,
radiation and medicinal options available today," said Dr. William Zittrich, Radiation Oncologist at Redlands Community Hospital.
Patients diagnosed with prostate cancer often research in books and
on the internet and read about side effects such as incontinence and
erectile dysfunction, then they worry about the long-term effects of
the various treatment methods. |
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| IMRT
treats the patient with customized beams, adjusted to a certain
proportion, rather than a few larger, uniform beams. The interaction
of these beams allows the physician to deliver a consistent dose of
radiation to the tumor while protecting the sensitive, surrounding
tissue from high-dose radiation. Adding intensity modulation allows
the physician to focus a more intense dose of radiation to the tumor
while limiting the radiation dose to the adjacent healthy tissue,
say experts. |
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| "It's a
kinder and gentler form of radiation treatment because it spares
healthy tissue. Patients who undergo this procedure are less likely
to experience long-term damage from radiation treatment and they
often have fewer acute side effects," said Dr. Zittrich. |
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| For
more information about IRMT, please call the Radiation Oncology
Department at Redlands Community Hospital, (909) 335-4611. |
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IMRT radiation therapy from a
linear accelerator targets the specific shape of each prostate to
avoid damage to other parts of the body. |
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