DGMC offers innovative technology for treating cancerous tumors

  • Published
  • 60th Medical Group
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE,Calif. --  David Grant USAF Medical Center now offers new services within the Joint Radiation Oncology Center. A partnership between the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs, the JROC at DGMC showcases the latest cutting-edge medical technology in Solano County for treating cancerous tumors and lesions with pinpoint precision and accuracy.

"Image guided radiation therapy and intensity modulated radiation therapy are two of the newest innovations in fighting cancer with a single machine," said Dr. (Col.) Roland Engel, 60th Medical Operations Squadron Radiology Oncology flight commander. "DGMC becomes one of only a handful of medical centers in the northern California region to offer RapidArc™, one of the most advanced and efficient methods for delivering cancer-fighting treatment to our patients."

According to Dr. Engel, the Clinac® IX and Trilogy™ linear accelerators allow a radiation dose to conform more precisely to the three-dimensional shape of the tumor. Clinicians are able to adjust the patient's position to ensure precise target of the tumor, thereby sparing surrounding tissues to the greatest extent possible.

"Our new machines will allow us to deliver even higher doses to tumors, without overexposing nearby normal or critical structures," said Dr. (Capt.) Borislav Hristov, 60 MDOS staff radiation oncologist.

According to Dr. Hristov, RapidArc technology with IGRT and IMRT allows for a faster delivery of the radiation, cutting the delivery time by approximately 50-60%, thus increasing overall efficiency.

"The addition of this advanced technology enables us to treat more patients in less time. Treatments that normally took 10 to 15 minutes now take five to ten minutes," explained Dr. Hristov. "In some cases, we now have the ability to eradicate the tumor in a few visits versus the traditional five to eight weeks. We are very excited about being able to give our patients the best treatment available."