The Varian Linear Accelerator. Think of it as treating cancer at the speed of light.
Technology counts when it comes to cancer care, and from day one the Marshall Cancer Care Center has included the most advanced equipment available. The Varian Linear Accelerator delivers a three-way advantage for patients needing radiation therapy. It’s faster, more powerful and more accurate than other options, and that means less time in treatment with fewer side effects. Our investment in this powerful technology means that patients benefit from local convenience to effective treatments.
Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT)
SBRT enables the Marshall Cancer Care Center to use advanced imaging techniques to deliver a targeted radiation dose to a tumor. The radiation focuses on the tumor with millimeter precision, resulting in less damage to healthy tissue.
SBRT creates a 3D image of a tumor and matches the radiation to its exact size and shape. According to Dr. Thomas Payne, radiation oncologist at Marshall Cancer Care, the technology is used primarily on tumors in the lung, spine, brain and liver.
SBRT is a non-surgical procedure that delivers radiation at much higher doses in only a single or few treatments as compared to traditional radiation therapy. SBRT is an alternative to invasive surgery, especially for patients who are unable to undergo surgery and for tumors that are hard to reach or located close to vital organs/anatomic regions. SBRT does not actually remove the tumor. Instead, it damages the DNA of tumor cells causing them to lose their ability to reproduce.
