Dr. Rajiv Dahiya, a board certified radiation oncologist specializes in the use of radiation therapy to kill or shrink cancerous cells. It is well known to be very effective in the treatment of brain tumors.
Brain Tumors: Types of Radiation Therapy:
Radiotherapy may be used as a primary treatment or in combination with surgery and chemotherapy. The different types of radiation therapy used to treat brain tumors are:
- External beam radiation therapy (ERBT)
- Internal Radiation (Brachytherapy)
- Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS)
External Beam Radiation Therapy (ERBT):
External radiation is sourced from an external machine onto the tumor areas. Depending on the radiation beam, external radiation techniques are:
- 3-D Conformal Therapy (3D-CRT); A 3D imaging of the tumor is collected through CT or MRI and is then targeted by radiation.
- Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT); the oncologist has control over the intensity of the radiation delivered to different parts of the same tumor.
- Conformal proton beam therapy involves the use of protons in the radiation beam. The Proton beam causes minimum damage to the surrounding healthy tissue.
Internal Radiation (Brachytherapy):
Brachytherapy or internal radiation is the placement of radioactive material enclosed in a catheter into the site after the surgical removal of the tumor. The liquid is released in a precise amount over a course of days.
Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS):
Stereotactic radiation therapy (SRT) is a non-invasive focused approach that uses thin beams of radiation. The technique is used in inoperable areas of the brain and spinal cord. Small tumors, one to one–half inches are also treated with SRS. The therapy is delivered in a single session or in multiple doses.
Prior to SRT, a customized head frame is formed. With the head frame in place, CT and MRI are performed to locate the tumor and obtain information necessary for computerized treatment planning. A helmet with holes in it is attached to the head frame that allows the beam to match the shape of the tumor. Overall the treatment is painless.
Types of Stereotactic Radiosurgery Equipment:
- Gamma knife:
A Gamma knife is an instrument that delivers 201 beams of gamma radiation focused by a computer onto the precise tumor location. This is used for small, benign tumors such as meningioma, acoustic neuromas, and pituitary tumors. In the case of large tumors, the tumor is first surgically removed.
- Linear accelerator (LINAC):
A Linear accelerator s a machine that generates high-energy radiation using a stream of fast-moving subatomic particles. The patient is positioned on a sliding bed around the linear accelerator circles. The generated radiation is computer matched to the tumor shape.
LINAC radiotherapy is used for metastatic cancer and some benign brain tumors. LINAC machines are manufactured by CyberKnife and TrueBeam.
Tumor control is better for the patients treated with SRT. None of the patients who received SRT had local recurrence of cancer, compared to 58% of patients treated with surgery. [1]
Your radiation team, led by Dr. Rajiv Dahiya will evaluate your tumor size, location, and spread through imaging techniques. You will be taken through one or a combination of techniques to make you cancer-free.
Side Effects of Radiation Therapy for Brain Tumors:
It is usually believed that everyone who undergoes radiation therapy will have side effects. Fortunately, not everyone experiences side effects and for those who do, they are rarely serious. General side effects include some hair loss, skin irritation, nausea, and some change to your appetite. These effects are short-lived and easily managed.
References:
- O’Neill BP, Iturria NJ, Link MJ, et al. A comparison of surgical resection and stereotactic radiosurgery in the treatment of solitary brain metastases. International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics. 2003;55(5):1169-1176.
Contact:
You can contact Dr. Rajiv Dahiya at www.rajivdahiyamd.com or www.urologyclinics.com/providers/raj-dahiya-md.
