Improving accuracy and patient comfort in prostate cancer treatment planning

Prostate cancer, one of the most common cancers among men in the United States, has the second highest prevalence after skin cancer.about 12.5 percent The proportion of men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their lives. In other words, of the 100 American men, about 13 will have prostate cancer in their lifetime, and about 2-3 men will die of prostate cancer. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Nevertheless, prostate cancer survival is generally good, with a 5-year relative survival of 97.5%. Many prostate cancers grow slowly or do not grow at all, resulting in high survival. The purpose of screening is to detect cancers that may grow if left untreated.

Once detected, there are multiple ways to treat prostate cancer. All patients are different. What works for one patient may not be the best solution for another. There is no single roadmap.

After being diagnosed, an effective radiation therapy plan is an important factor in driving successful results. At Uro Partners’ Cancer Treatment Center in Gurney, we have discovered a state-of-the-art oncology CT simulation system that improves treatment accuracy while improving treatment accuracy. Patients are comfortable — our clinicians provide excellent results for defining therapeutic doses.

This article describes how the technology built into Fujifilm Persona CT supports a team of physicians and the specific benefits it offers to clinicians and patients.

Understand male patients

All veteran doctors know that healing is bidirectional. The doctor cannot do it alone. Active participation of patients is also necessary. Patients must accept and welcome treatment to initiate healing, just as doctors must guide and administer appropriate treatment.

Physicians may face unique challenges when treating men. For starters, many men are reluctant to visit a doctor. A 2019 Cleveland Clinic survey found that doctor avoidance is a prevalent phenomenon among men, with only 50% of men engaging in preventative care such as annual health care. I did.

actually, 72% Many of the men surveyed said they wanted to clean the toilet or mow the lawn rather than going to the doctor.

Now imagine a man diagnosed with prostate cancer. He faces a unique emotional problem. The diagnosis of cancer itself can be terribly upset, but the stigma associated with prostate cancer is more than that.

Men with prostate cancer may even feel castrated or guilty about not being able to build intimate relationships because of anxiety or fear. In addition, patients with loss of libido and erectile dysfunction due to illness and treatment are at increased risk of depression, malaise, anxiety, irritability, and risk of disease progression.

Finally, many of these men are afraid of treatments that can affect their ability to erect or cause incontinence problems.

He briefly stated that male patients, especially those undergoing prostate cancer treatment, need to be confident in their doctors and tumor treatment plans. Patient comfort and anxiety relief are key elements of the process.

Treatment planning process

At UroPartners, working with patients to achieve healing is a priority. Our organization is the largest independent urology group in the Midwest, providing advanced urology treatment with a team of more than 90 providers and 37 locations across Illinois and southern Wisconsin.

Our radiation oncologists use a variety of advanced techniques. These include intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT), SpaceOAR, calypso 4D localization system, brachytherapy alone, or in combination with other modalities in the management of prostate cancer.

UroPartners combines a wealth of experience and training with the latest technology to provide personalized and compassionate care for the patient. Our radiation oncologists work with other specialists and patients at every stage, from initial consultation to treatment.

About 310 patients with prostate cancer are treated annually between the three centers. Recently, we have been working with Fujifilm Medical Systems USA, Inc. for a cancer treatment center in Gurnee, Illinois. Invested in the Persona CT system.

Since the Persona CT System was installed in January 2021, we have had great success in planning the treatment of prostate cancer.

Following the patient’s first visit, one of our radiation oncologists works with the other members of our team to design a personalized treatment plan. Patients should undergo a CT scan as the first step to ensure accurate targeting of the disease.

The main goal of CT planned scans is to identify specific areas of treatment, properly target cancer, and protect healthy tissue. Accurate radiation through the treatment of men is important for success. Fujifilm’s Persona CT helps us achieve that goal.

Benefits of state-of-the-art CT system

Prostate cancer treatment planning is a complex effort. When planning treatment, it is important for the doctor to look at the prostate, seminal vesicles, lymph nodes, bladder, rectum, and hip joints.

Our Persona CT is a state-of-the-art CT system that offers advanced oncology simulation and common radiographic imaging capabilities, all focused on the patient experience. UroPartners has discovered that Persona CT offers significant clinical and patient comfort benefits. Both contribute to the success of the treatment plan.

Let’s start with some clinical benefits. Persona CT is more accurate than traditional CT scanners. For example, it has a 128-slice image count compared to the 8 or 16 image slice count of a traditional scanner. UroPartners provides clear, high resolution images every time.

There are certain features that we also find useful. From my personal experience, metal artifact reduction (MAR) is a great feature that allows a better view of the prostate and lymph nodes when the patient presents metal into the body.

MAR is a projection-based reconstruction technique that restores anatomical details hidden by metal in traditional image reconstruction. MAR automatically identifies areas affected by highly attenuated objects and reconstructs improved images for increased clinical reliability. Next-generation MAR dramatically eliminates and / or reduces streak artifacts created by metals.

In addition, by combining Sun Nuclear laser positioning with the world’s first 85 cm CT bore, Persona CT is designed to image patients in optimal treatment locations while maintaining the position and accuracy requirements of radiation oncology. I will.

Increasing clinical confidence is important, but increasing patient comfort is just as important for the treatment planning process. It is a well-known fact that patients can feel more at ease when they are comfortable. Reducing patient anxiety cannot be underestimated as it helps us provide better care.

The large, wide open bore of Persona CT is less likely to cause claustrophobia than many other machines, so it calms patients of all sizes. In addition, Persona CT has a high-speed scanning function, which is especially welcomed by patients who have difficulty staying still. To reduce side effects, Uro Partners treats patients with a full bladder. Reducing scan time also helps improve patient comfort. The sooner the scan can be completed, the faster the patient can proceed with the treatment program.

Promotion of early detection, improvement of cure rate

In 2021, 248,530 A new case of prostate cancer, and about 34,130 men die of the disease.

Clinicians must not only provide appropriate treatment, but also do everything possible to promote early detection of the disease and improve cure rates in the first place.

UroPartners is committed to raising awareness of the importance of prostate screening. To that end, I participate in the SEA Blue National Prostate Cancer Walk and Run in Chicago. Every September, nearly 1,500 participants gather in the beautiful Lincoln Park to attend the SEA Blue Walk to raise funding and awareness for people affected by prostate cancer.

SEA Blue is the people who stood up to fight prostate cancer, the lives lost in the disease, and support, education, and advocacy (SEA Blue SEA). Affected people at all stages of the disease form a band together and build friendships at SEA Blue through unity, tears, and victory.

The first step is to raise awareness so that more men will be screened. However, treating men diagnosed with prostate cancer is our main mission at UroPartners.

By using appropriate technology such as Fujifilm’s Persona CT to support radiation therapy planning, you can further increase your confidence while giving your patients more comfort.

Yashbir Mehta, MD, is a radiation oncologist at Uro Partners.

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