Cancer radiation treatments are becoming faster thanks to a new machine in Kelowna that91裸聊视频檚 the first of it91裸聊视频檚 kind in Canada.
BC Cancer Kelowna has the first Ethos adaptive radiation therapy unit in Canada, making the process and the planning of treatments easier and faster.
With both older machines and the new Ethos machine, radiation treatments only take anywhere from 30 seconds to two minutes but the new machine quickens the planning process exponentially.
With the older machines, radiation treatment is the same everyday, and when, for example, someone91裸聊视频檚 tumor gets smaller, the team of doctors has to create a new plan that could take days to make and put in place.
With the new Ethos machines, a new plan, customized to each patient, is built in 15-20 minutes and the computer instantly starts creating the next plan once the radiation treatment for that day is complete.
91裸聊视频�12 years ago, you wouldn91裸聊视频檛 imagine making a treatment plan everyday,91裸聊视频� said Senior Physical Therapist Nathan Becker.
Bachand added that the machine does around 80 per cent of the work while they complete the other 20 per cent.
While radiation machines have been around for a long time now, this is the first that is brand new to the industry.
91裸聊视频淭he older [machines] are 6091裸聊视频檚, 7091裸聊视频檚 8091裸聊视频檚 technology and they91裸聊视频檝e done a lot of add-ons over time,91裸聊视频� said Becker. 91裸聊视频淭his machine is built from the ground up, it91裸聊视频檚 been built to be as streamlined as possible.91裸聊视频�
It91裸聊视频檚 been a long process not just for BC Cancer Kelowna, but for cancer centres around the world to use this new technology. This machine got FDA approved in 2020 and approved by Health Canada around a year ago. Before it was even approved, the Kelowna centre was looking at purchasing one. When the technology got approved by Health Canada, Kelowna was in line to purchase the machine.
Kelowna91裸聊视频檚 centre started training on the machine on Dec. 12 and have been treating patients on it for three weeks now. While this is currently the only clinical machine in Canada, meaning its the only one in use, Newfoundland also has one they will be launching soon and Vancouver is expected at get two machines either late in 2023 or early in 2024. There are also a few hundred machines in use in the United States and because the technology is still so new, the Kelowna Cancer Centre is in constant communication with the research groups in America talking around strategy and techniques with the machine and side effects from patient to patient. A clinic in Europe also has five of the machines.
91裸聊视频�
On top of being able to plan quicker and make the actually treatment a little faster, the hope is patients will experience less side affects with this machine as well. Because of the technology, the machine is able to be more precise, therefore affecting less organs in the process.
91裸聊视频淔or the patient experience in general should be improved,91裸聊视频� said Bachand. 91裸聊视频淏ecause you can identify the structures that you91裸聊视频檙e trying to protect everyday, we hope the patients will experience less side effects and recover faster. We don91裸聊视频檛 really know for sure that that will make a certain difference. It would make sense but we91裸聊视频檒l see that in the coming years because it does takes a while before you can really look back and see how patients did. It doesn91裸聊视频檛 take long to see how patients do on treatment but how they recover and if there91裸聊视频檚 any side effects six or 12 months later.91裸聊视频�
Whether the machine is old or new, the centre is able to treat 30 patients a day but are hoping they are able to treat more in a day with the tech machine. Because its still so new, it91裸聊视频檚 too early to tell.
Each year, the Kelowna centre has 2,700 new cancer patients that require radiation.
And while this machine is the lately and greatest, the older machine are still effective in eliminated one91裸聊视频檚 cancer as some machines are tailored to different types of cancer.
91裸聊视频淭his is a tool in our arsenal,91裸聊视频� said Becker 91裸聊视频淵ou don91裸聊视频檛 necessarily five Ferraris in your garage. This is the Ferrari of our treatment machines.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频�
One someone comes in to receive their treatment, it91裸聊视频檚 a complex process with a lot of moving parts.
91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 a lot of people involved,91裸聊视频� said Yendley.
In each treatment, there is at the minimum, two radiation therapists, radiation oncologist, and medical physicist.
With the new machine, patients can go inside and get themselves into the machine to make sure their information is correct, then the team of doctors begins the set up for radiation. With the radiation goes on, the team is outside controlling the machine, making sure everything is in place, and is able to see and talk to the patient.
Before the machine arrived, the cancer centre renovated the place, including adding a back room that91裸聊视频檚 specifically for training purposes with the new machine. Because each treatment is time sensitive, the team running the operation stays in there positions while doctors and students who are learning sit in the back room and can also see the process through the camera that doctors are watching through.
91裸聊视频淚 think the learning curve is pretty quick at the moment,91裸聊视频� said Bachand. 91裸聊视频淚 feel strongly that we91裸聊视频檒l be able to contribute to these other centres as well with introducing new techniques, it91裸聊视频檚 going really well.91裸聊视频�
READ MORE: Former Nakusp doctor, now living in Kelowna, disciplined for sex with patient
jordy.cunningham@kelownacapnews.com
Like us on and follow us on .
