Latest Radiation Therapy

Radiation Therapy: IGRT, IMRT, CyberKnife, Zap-X & Tomotherapy

Radiation therapy, or radiotherapy, is a cancer treatment that uses high-energy X-ray beams to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy damages cells by destroying their genetic material, which controls cell growth.
Here, with Cross Border Care, our readers will learn about radiation therapy in detail and the best hospitals providing it in India.

Why is radiation therapy done?

The goal of radiation therapy in India is to kill as many cancer cells as possible while harming very few healthy cells. Over half of the patients with cancer receive radiation therapy at some point in their lives.
Your radiation oncology team in India may suggest radiation:
● As the only treatment for cancer. This is called the primary treatment.
● Before surgery, to shrink a tumor. This is called neo-adjuvant therapy.
● After surgery, to stop the growth of any remaining cancer cells. This is called adjuvant therapy.
● In conjunction with other treatments, such as chemotherapy, to destroy cancer cells.
● To relieve symptoms caused by advanced cancer.

Types of Radiation Therapy

The type of radiation therapy for cancer that you get depends on many factors:
● Tumor type, size, and location
● Your age, general health, and medical condition
● Other cancer treatment required by you in conjunction
There are two types of radiation therapy:

External Beam Radiation Therapy

EBRT, or external beam radiation therapy, uses a machine to direct high-beam rays toward the tumor. The rays can be X-rays, electrons, or protons. The different forms of EBRT are:
● 3D conformal radiation therapy uses CT scans and computer software to create a 3D model of the computer. The machine directs radiation beams to the target cancer site using this model.
● Intensity-modulated Radiation Therapy ( IMRT) is a more advanced form of radiation therapy that uses many radiation beams with varying intensity. IMRT delivers high radiation doses to the tumor and low-intensity doses to healthy tissues.
● Arc-Based Radiotherapy: This form of IMRT in which high-energy beams are directed in an arc-like pattern. It delivers radiation faster than IMRT.
● Image-Guided Radiotherapy ( IGRT): In this technique, the radiation machine obtains a low-dose X-ray or mini CT scan before each treatment. These images taken using IGRT in India help deliver the radiation precisely.
● Particle Therapy: This type of EBRT uses protons instead of X-ray beams.
● Stereostatic Radiosurgery (SRS), also known as gamma knife surgery, uses high doses of focused radiation to destroy small brain tumors with surgical precision.
● Intraoperative radiation (IORT) delivers radiation during surgery. After a tumor has been removed surgically, IORT destroys any remaining cancer cells that aren’t safe to remove surgically.
● SBRT: Stereotactic body radiation therapy, or SBRT, is a cancer treatment that delivers extremely precise doses of radiation to cancer cells while minimizing damage to healthy tissue. It uses image guidance to locate the exact location of the tumor so that the radiation can be more precise.

Internal Beam Radiation Therapy

Internal Beam Radiation therapy uses traditions inside your body to kill the cancer cells. It treats small head, neck, breast, and cervix tumors. You can use internal radiation in a solid form or a liquid form:
● Brachytherapy involves implanting a solid radioactive source, or “seed,” inside or beside a tumor. The source releases radiation to a small area to kill cancer cells. Some implants release low doses for longer periods (weeks), while others may release high doses for shorter periods (minutes). Some implants used in brachytherapy are temporary, while others stay in your body forever. Eventually, they stop releasing radiation.
● Systemic therapy sends liquid radioactive material through your blood to find and destroy cancer cells. Some forms are swallowed. You’ll receive an injection through a vein (IV) for others. Treatments include radionuclide therapy (radioimmunotherapy). With radioimmunotherapy, a radioactive protein recognizes specific cancer cells, attaches to them, and then releases radiation to kill them.

Latest Developments in External Beam Radiation Therapy

Cyberknife

Cyberknife Therapy in India is one of the most advanced forms of radiosurgery. It is a painless, noninvasive treatment that delivers high doses of targeted radiation to destroy tumors in the body. A robotic arm provides a highly focused beam of radiation. The treatment is performed on an outpatient basis, with each treatment lasting 30 to 90 minutes. The number of sessions required will depend on the size of the tumor.
Zap X
ZAP-X Gyroscopic Radiosurgery is a cutting-edge technology designed to precisely target and treat brain tumors. Unlike traditional methods, ZAP-X utilizes a groundbreaking, self-shielded gyroscopic linear accelerator design. This innovation enables a comprehensive attack on tumors around the head, offering a new level of precision and effectiveness with minimal radiation exposure.
ZAP-X demonstrates high success, ensuring effective control and relief for various conditions with minimal long-term side effects.
Continuing the legacy of innovations, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, Delhi, is the only hospital that offers this groundbreaking technology to brain tumor patients. It is the only center in South Asia to adopt this revolutionary solution, enabling 30-minute sessions that are pain-free and non-invasive.

Tomotherapy

Tomotherapy in India is a radiation therapy that uses a donut-shaped machine to aim radiation at a tumor from multiple directions. Before radiation, a 3-D image of the cancer is taken to help doctors determine the highest dose of radiation that can be used to kill the tumor cells without harming the healthy cells.
Zap X and tomotherapy are the two most frequently used radiation therapies practiced in India today due to the following:
● High precision
● Non-invasiveness
● Efficiency

Types of Cancer that can be treated with Radiation Therapy

Side effects of radiation therapy

Most people get multiple sessions of radiation therapy. The treatment schedule gives healthy tissues time to recover. The most common radiation therapy side effects include:
● Fatigue
● Nausea
● Vomiting
● Diarrhea
● Skin irritation
● Dry and itchy scalp
● Hair loss
● Mouth sores
● Reduced appetite
● Abdominal cramps.

What are the advantages?

Radiation therapy for cancer is a reliable and effective cancer treatment option. Depending on the type of cancer you have, radiation therapy can either help to treat it or can be used in conjunction with other treatment options. It is also part of palliative care and can ease cancer symptoms.

How safe is radiation treatment?

Doctors have been using radiation therapy safely and effectively for years to treat cancer.
● During external beam radiation therapy in Delhi, any radiation remains inside the treatment room only.
● However, during internal radiation, the patient gives off radiation, so visitors should follow the given safety rules:
● Do not visit the patient if you are younger than 18 years or pregnant
● Stay at least 6 ft from the patient’s bed
● Limit your stay to 30 minutes only.
You can also follow the given safety measures after the first few days of the radiation therapy treatment:
● Wash your hands after using the toilet
● Use separate utensils and towels
● Drink plenty of fluids
● Avoid sexual activity
● Try to avoid contact with infants.

Questions to Ask Your Radiation Therapy Team: Your Mini Guide

● What type of radiation therapy is suitable for me and why?
● What is the goal of radiation therapy?
● How long will the treatment take?
● Where will I receive the treatment?
● What are the side effects of the treatment?
● What can I do to relieve the side effects?
● How will the treatment affect my daily life?
● What special precautions should I take to protect my family from the radiation therapy I get?
● What additional cancer treatments will I get?
● When will I get to know if my treatment is successful?

When can you return to your routine?

Some people get back to their routine immediately after the treatment, while some feel so sick that they prefer to rest. You must discuss the best and the worst-case scenarios with your radiation oncologist to determine what is best for you.

Best Radiation Oncologists Giving Radiation Therapy in India

Cross Border Care is the best medical consultant in India. When you contact us, we will help you with:

● Arranging visa
● Finding the best hospital
● Surgical package negotiation on your behalf
● Finding the best doctors
● Medicines at reasonable rates
● Affordable options to stay in India
● Over saving of 15% treatment cost through us

To learn more about our services, please write to us at info@crossborderscare.com. Based on your reports, we will let you know the radiation therapy cost in Delhi.

We will help you to find the best Latest Radiation Therapy Doctors in India.