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Amidst a recession, unemployment hike and housing crisis, it’s no doubt that the nation is in a fight for fiscal survival.
But many Texans are in the biggest fight of their lives – the fight for their lives. This year alone, the Texas Cancer Registry estimates that cancer will claim the lives of more than 37,000 Texans and more than 97,000 new cases will be diagnosed.Texas Oncology - Fort Worth 8th Avenue is leading the fight against cancer with new state-of-the-art radiation equipment that provides faster and more accurate treatment. Novalis Tx™ stereotactic radiosurgery and RapidArc™ radiotherapy system are the first of their kind in Tarrant County. "We’re excited that our patients are among the first in the nation to receive the benefits of this much improved technology," said Dr. Jerry Barker, Jr., radiation oncologist, Texas Oncology - Fort Worth 8th Avenue. "Not only does it allow us to deliver highly accurate radiation to both malignant and benign tumors, but it works with several types of cancers as well."Novalis Tx is a powerful radiosurgery and radiotherapy system that delivers precisely focused, high-energy radiation to a localized area very quickly, enabling doctors to treat otherwise unapproachable, inoperable tumors. The system’s platform allows for intricately customized settings that enable treatments to be highly targeted and accurate.Patients with brain, head and neck, pancreas, liver, prostate and lung cancer are among those who may be treated by the system. Because the system is so accurate, nearby healthy tissue is protected from damaging radiation, meaning larger doses of radiation can be delivered to the tumor with each treatment and recovery times can be much shorter.Together with Novalis Tx, Texas Oncology - Fort Worth 8th Avenue has also introduced RapidArc, a fast and precise radiotherapy procedure. RapidArc uses a linear accelerator, which delivers high-powered X-rays from any angle to the patient as it rotates around the "treatment couch." The non-invasive technique, which is two to eight times faster than conventional radiotherapy, reduces treatment times because it only rotates once around the patient, rather than the multiple times it takes for other procedures. RapidArc also delivers image-guided intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) very quickly in a single rotation."RapidArc technology will enable us to treat cancer more quickly," said Dr. Clinton Park, radiation oncologist, Texas Oncology - Fort Worth 8th Avenue. "RapidArc will be much easier on the patient. It’s hard for people to hold still for long periods of time. By delivering doses more quickly, we can simultaneously improve the quality of care and make our patients more comfortable."Texas Oncology delivers high-quality cancer care with leading-edge technology and the most advanced treatment options available to help patients achieve "more breakthroughs, more victories" in their fights against cancer. Texas Oncology is a pioneer in community-based cancer care and is at the forefront of some of the most exciting research in the country. Last year, Texas Oncology opened 42 trials with more than 1,100 patients in local communities throughout the state. For more information, visit www.TexasOncology.com or call 888-864-ICAN (4226).
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