Tomotherapy in India
Radiation therapy is one of the most prevalent and significant cancer therapies. It is a minimally invasive technique that damages and kills cancer cells to prevent them from proliferating. Radiation therapy makes up around 70% to 80% of the treatment plans for cancer patients.
Since radiation has been a significant tool in the fight against cancer, medical professionals and researchers have been seeking ways to improve the safety and efficiency of radiotherapies.
The key challenge has been figuring out how to administer enough radiation to kill malignant cells while protecting the surrounding normal tissue. Tomotherapy represents a significant advancement in this search.
Because of its precision, modulation, and 360-degree delivery system, Tomotherapy in India is one of the best options for cancers that are difficult to access or close to vital organs. With fewer adverse effects, it is also utilized to treat several tumors and re-treat areas at once.
If you are facing a cancer diagnosis, consult an experienced radiation oncologist in India like Prof. Dr. Sridhar Papaiah Susheela to avail the most effective cancer treatment with compassionate care to support you through your cancer journey.
Prof. Dr. Sridhar PS is one of the leading cyberknife specialist in India. He is among the pioneers in oncology imaging in India, having a great deal of competence and experience over 26 years. Moreover, he is one of the few radiation oncologists in India with immense expertise in the latest eye precision radiotherapy techniques, including SBRT, Tomotherapy, IGRT and IMRT treatment in India.
Prof. Dr. Sridhar Papaiah Susheela has treated more than 10,000 patients with radiation therapy and also administered chemotherapies to critical cancer patients. Currently, he is Sr. consultant in radiation oncology at the Apollo hospital in Bangalore.
Overview
- It is a novel method of administering radiation therapy in the fight against cancer. Tomotherapy is a type of image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) widely used to treat prostate, breast, lung, brain, head, and neck malignancies.
- Before each treatment, a CT scanner and a radiation delivery system work together to produce 3D images.
- Tomotherapy employs intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) to match radiation intensity to tumor forms and spare healthy tissue. It administers radiation by rotating around the body and shooting precise beams at tumors from various angles.
- The procedure creates an integrated system that includes treatment planning, CT image-guided patient placement, and therapy delivery.
- The technology utilized for tomotherapy is quite similar to a computed tomography (CT) device.
- The patient receives treatment while lying on a platform that moves continually. The platform slides through the gantry while the ring turns, delivering radiation from all directions.
How Does TomoTherapy Work?
- It could look like getting a CT scan or X-ray is similar to receiving TomoTherapy.
- A radiation therapist assists the patient in positioning on the table for the treatment. The patient is typically facing up in most situations.
- The patient’s placement may change from session to session, depending on the shape and location of the tumor.
- During the process, the therapist installs one or more devices to keep the patient in a still position.
- A 3D image of the treatment region is taken using scanning technology as the patient travels through the machine before starting the radiation treatment. This enables the radiation oncologist and therapist to customize the beams for the tumor(s), considering their size, shape, and location on that particular day.
- The patient goes slowly through the machine as radiation is delivered from all sides during therapy.
- The patient might hear the equipment’s whirring, clicking, or other sounds. The treatment is painless and could last for 15 to 20 minutes.
How much does TomoTherapy Cost in India?
On average, the TomoTherapy treatment cost in India starts from 4,13,952 INR (approx. $5000). This may include consultation charges, basic examinations and tests, treatment costs, and doctor’s fees.
Some tomotherapy centers in India charge separately for routine pharmacy, specialty consultations, accommodation, and patient food.
What are the Benefits of TomoTherapy?
With TomoTherapy, radiation oncologists can precisely target the tumor’s size, shape, and location by adjusting the radiation beam’s size, shape, and intensity.
Some of the additional advantages that TomoTherapy offers include the following:
- It directs more radiation at the tumor and minimal on the surrounding healthy tissues.
- It focuses higher doses of radiation on the tumor.
- Moreover, it targets tumors with optimal radiation doses.
- It lowers the side effects of radiation therapy.
TomoTherapy radiation may be an option for some cancer patients who have received the maximum dosage of conventional radiation they can tolerate.
Risks and Side effects of TomoTherapy
The short-term side effects of TomoTherapy may be similar to those of other radiation therapy techniques.
For instance, adverse effects from radiation therapy on the head could include:
- dry eyes
- mouth sores
- headaches
- eating difficulties
Typical side effects of TomoTherapy include:
- Skin inflammation, peeling, or redness
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Hair loss in the treated area.
Most TomoTherapy side effects go away quickly once the treatment is stopped. Some may still be around following treatment, but they usually go away over several months.
TomoTherapy may have specific long-term side effects, like skin changes or a minuscule risk of acquiring second cancer, similar to many cancer treatments.
What to Expect During TomoTherapy?
TomoTherapy is a form of outpatient treatment. It is as painless and non-invasive as a CT scan or X-ray. Usually, the treatment lasts for over one to eight weeks. About 15 to 20 minutes are spent on each TomoTherapy session.
Pre- and Post-Treatment
- When you arrive for treatment, a radiation therapist will assist you in positioning yourself in the TomoTherapy treatment room.
- The therapist may fit you with a gadget to help you stay still throughout therapy while you are most likely lying on your back. Your skin may be lightly marked to align the treatment area’s equipment.
- For pre-treatment imaging, you will go through the TomoTherapy machine once. Your radiation treatment plan or posture might be altered considering these images.
- You will gently move through the machine while the customized treatment is administered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Once the treatment is completed, the side effects of radiotherapy may last up to two weeks. However, it may take a couple of weeks to several months for you to feel normal, depending on the type of cancer treated.
Patients usually respond favorably to either brachytherapy or external beam radiation in the early stages of the disease. With any approach, success rates of about 90% are possible.
A cell cannot expand or spread if it does not divide. After the radiation is finished, the mass may decrease in cancers that divide gradually over a long, prolonged period.
For example, in prostate cancer, a tumor typically takes approximately 18 months to shrink (some quicker, some slower).
Cancer cells will eventually grow again if radiotherapy doesn’t completely eradicate them. Regarding radiation treatment, we now have more knowledge.
Specific immunotherapies and targeted cancer medications may entirely eradicate cancer. Others might control the tumor for a few months or years until it shrinks.
Depending upon the type of cancer, your doctor may instruct you to avoid and consume specific foods.