You or a family member has just been diagnosed with cancer and the doctor believes that you or your family member is a good candidate for IGRT. So, what is IGRT? The letters stand for Image-Guided Radiation Therapy. It is one of the most cutting-edge technologies in your fight against cancer. IGRT combines imaging and treatment capabilities in a single machine. IGRT is also the most advanced form of radiation therapy currently available.
Radiation therapy has been used in the treatment of cancer for many years. Today it is prescribed for half of all cancer patients. Radiation is energy delivered in beams. It works by attacking the DNA of the cancer cell so that they can no longer reproduce. Cells that are destroyed by the radiation are then replaced by normal healthy cells that can reproduce.
Tumors can move during treatment due to normal body movements such as breathing. IGRT uses advanced imaging techniques, similar to getting an x-ray or CT scan, to verify patient position and the tumor’s exact location at the time of treatment. This makes IGRT extremely precise.
By pinpointing the exact location of the tumor at the time of treatment, the doctor can focus radiation therapy on the targeted tumor. This spares surrounding normal tissue from receiving radiation. The precision of IGRT results in higher radiation doses to the tumor which may increase the likelihood of controlling or even eliminating the tumor.
IGRT is well-suited to treat tumors virtually anywhere in the body. It is now being used to treat tumors in the brain, breast, lung, liver, prostate, head and neck and other areas. It is always best to discuss the preferred method of treatment with a radiation oncologist.
At Providence Holy Cross Cancer Center we offer IGRT and have friendly doctors and staff members who can help answer all of your questions.
You can always call us at 661-288-5965 or 818-898-4410 and we can help you with any decisions you need to make regarding your cancer diagnosis.