Technology, Precision Bring Hope to Cancer Patients

By Dr. Arie Dosoretz

Technology is in a continuous state of improvement.

As soon as a new cell phone hits the market, for example, consumers will line up to get their hands on the industry’s newest, shiniest device. And who can blame them? Consumers want the best.

The same principle holds true in cancer care. Manufacturers are continuously researching and experimenting to develop new equipment that is more effective, more powerful and more precise than their predecessors. So who can blame patients for choosing doctors whose practices features the latest, most innovative technology?

Since its inception, Advocate Radiation Oncology has prioritized technology to ensure patients have access to the most sophisticated, advanced technology on the market. As a result, local physicians continue referring patients to Advocate, knowing they will receive personalized care and treatments using top-of-the-line equipment.

In radiation oncology, precision is critically important. Precision can destroy tumors without damaging surrounding tissue. The newest technology can focus beams in increments of less than a millimeter, a level of precision that helps reduce treatment times and lessons the side effects of radiation. That’s why patients, and radiation oncologists, want the latest, greatest cancer-fighting equipment.

Advocate treats patients diagnosed with all types of cancers, including breast, prostate, lung, brain, neck and others. The practice has made substantial capital investments in equipment, including these three state-of-the-art Varian machines:

• Halcyon: Using image-guided radiotherapy, the Halcyon’s intelligent automation provides for faster treatment times. Its quiet, smooth motions and soft, ambient lighting keep patients relaxed and comfortable during their treatments.

• TrueBeam: The Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy, or IMRT, linear accelerator targets and destroys tumor cells in the body using external-beam radiation.

• Identify: A comprehensive administrative technology system, Identify uses patient biometrics at every stage of the treatment process to ensure safe and accurate care. Identify is integrated across all machinery and devices within the practice, streamlining communication between the radiation therapists, machines and patients.

Offering the most innovative and powerful technology on the market is a difference-maker for patients, but only half of the equation. The other half is expertise from Advocate’s experienced, compassionate physicians who partner with patients on every step of their cancer treatment journey. With a patient-first approach, physicians create an individualized treatment plan unique to each patient. The ultimate goal is to quickly and efficiently deliver radiation treatments that allow patients to continue living their lives with minimal disruption.

A cancer diagnosis will always initiate very serious discussions, but the prognosis isn’t nearly as worrisome as it was even a decade ago. Technology has changed the conversation. In fact, doctors once discussed cancer’s death rate; they now reference its survival rate. If diagnosed and treated early, a majority of cancers are survivable.

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About the Author
Dr. Arie Dosoretz is a board-certified radiation oncologist and founding partner at Advocate Radiation Oncology, a locally owned and operated practice with offices in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Port Charlotte, Bonita Springs and Tamarac. For more information, please visit AdvocateRO.com.