NEW RADIATION TECHNIQUE IN INDIANA

[RandyW]

The Oncology Institute at Methodist Hospital in northwest Indiana is now offering patients with lung cancer a new form of treatment. The hospital is the first medical facility in northwest Indiana to provide body radiosurgery, which uses tightly grouped radiation beams to meticulously eradicate lung tumors.

More Americans die from lung cancer than all other cancers. In fact, according to the American Cancer Society, approximately 173,700 new cases of lung cancer and an estimated 160,440 deaths from lung cancer will occur in the United States during 2004.

The Oncology Institute at Methodist Hospital is at the forefront in the ongoing struggle to fight this deadly disease by providing a new medical treatment that is producing a high cure rate among lung cancer patients.

Methodist Hospital is the first medical facility in northwest Indiana to offer what is known as stereotactic body radiosurgery. Unlike lung cancer surgery, which carries with it the possibility for long-term pain, chronic-oxygen use and even death, stereotactic body radiosurgery isn’t surgery at all and causes far few complications.

The most advanced and tested system for stereotactic body radiosurgery is the Elekta Stereotactic Body Frame that utilizes tightly grouped radiation beams to meticulously eradicate lung tumors. The specially designed body frame keeps the patient still during the painless, outpatient procedure, which takes only 45 minutes and three visits.

As the gold standard for stereotactic body radiosurgery, the Elekta Stereotactic Body Frame has yielded a high rate in eradicating stage one lung cancer. This medical treatment is especially well suited for those unable to tolerate surgery, including people of advanced age, poor lung function, poor heart function or generally poor health.

“This medical technology, the most advanced of its kind, combined with our highly trained medical staff reinforces our commitment to improving the health for residents of northern Indiana,” said Dr. Robert Woodburn, radiation oncologist at Oncology Institute at Methodist Hospital.

Source: Methodist Hospital