Comprehensive Cancer Center:
Advanced Radiation Oncology
P/SL's Comprehensive Cancer Center is a leader in applying state-of-the-art medical technology and radiation treatments to help improve patient outcomes and deliver quality care.
High Dose Rate Brachytherapy (HDR)
Treatment usually consists of a series of brief sessions over a few days. Benefits include less damage to surrounding, healthy tissues, faster recovery, and fewer complications than often occur with conventional full-dose external beam radiation or radical surgery. Our cancer team frequently uses HDR for cancers of the breast, cervix, lung, and uterus.
Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy
Our cancer team provides expert, rapid delivery of high resolution Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy, a state-of-the-art cancer treatment method. IMRT delivers high doses of radiation directly to cancer cells and tumors in a very targeted way, much more precisely than is possible with conventional radiotherapy—sparing more of the surrounding healthy organs and tissue.
We’re able to treat cancers that were previously untreatable with radiation therapy. Treatment usually can be done on an outpatient basis.
IMRT uses advanced computer technology to create a three-dimensional model of the tumor. Then, using this computer model as a targeting “map,” the IMRT system directs pencil-thin beams of radiation at the tumor with laser accuracy and precisely modulates their intensity. Types of tumors our team treats with IMRT: tumors in the head, neck, prostate, cervix and brain.
MammoSite Radiation Therapy System
MammoSite Radiation Therapy System, is a less invasive method of delivering breast brachytherapy, a site-specific radiation treatment completed in four to five days, as compared to five to six weeks for traditional external beam radiation therapy. The new device delivers radiation directly to the area where a breast tumor has been surgically removed via lumpectomy, which is the site where tumors are most likely to recur.
While standard breast brachytherapy involves surgically implanting up to 24 catheters into the breast, MammoSite calls for just a single catheter to perform the therapy. MammoSite RTS consists of a balloon catheter that is inserted into the area of the breast where the tumor was removed. Once inserted, the balloon is expanded and radiation is delivered through a tiny bead attached to a wire, irradiating the area surrounding the cavity.
External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT)
EBRT uses a linear accelerator, a high-energy x-ray machine, to direct radiation to a tumor. The procedure lasts a few minutes at a time, usually for five days a week, over the course of six to eight weeks.
EBRT is an outpatient procedure that does not carry the standard risks or complications that accompany major surgery, such as surgical bleeding, post-operative pain, or the risk of stroke, heart attack or blood clot. Our team frequently uses EBRT to treat: lung, uterine, breast, skin, colon/rectum, stomach and testicular cancers.
Stereotactic Radiation Therapy (SRT)
Sometimes called radiosurgery, Stereotactic Radiation Therapy (SRT) is a specialized form of radiation treatment that delivers a well-defined, narrow beam of high-dose radiation therapy to places difficult to reach and treat, while minimizing irradiation of adjacent normal structures. Our team's treatment technique uses a modified linear accelerator technology. Depending on the clinical circumstances, either a single large dose of radiation or multiple small doses over a 5 to 6 week period is given.
By delivering radiation therapy via this precisely targeted, very narrow x-ray beam (controlled using computer imaging), it is possible to destroy small tumors or close down abnormal blood vessels without affecting surround tissues. SRT is accurate to one millimeter or less, does not require surgery, and can be done on an outpatient basis.
The Comprehensive Cancer Center at P/SL uses SRT to treat head and neck cancers of the nasopharynx, sinuses and skullbase, as well as tumors of the brain.
Radiofrequency Ablation (RF)
Radiofrequency (RF) ablation is a new technique for treating tumors localized to certain organs such as the liver, kidney and adrenal glands. With this technique, our cancer team places relatively small probes into the tumor and deposits RF energy.
The RF energy causes the tissue around the tip of the probe to heat up to a high temperature, causing cells to break apart and die. Since RF kills both tumor and nontumor cells, the goal is to place the probes so that they destroy all of the tumor plus an adequate "border" of nontumorous tissue around it.
Our cancer team primarily uses RF ablation to treat liver tumors—either those originating in the liver, such as hepatocellular carcinomas, or those that spread to the liver, such as metastatic disease. RF also can be effective in treating tumors of the kidneys when surgery is not appropriate.
PET (Positron Emission Tomography)
Positron Emission Tomography is a nuclear diagnostic imaging technique utilizing F18 fluorodeoxy glucose to reflect metabolic information. It can differentiate between benign and malignant lesions, and detect malignancies as small as 6 mm. Early disease can be detected before structural changes become apparent.
This adds physiologic information to other imaging techniques (x-rays, CT, and MRI) to more accurately diagnose, stage and restage disease during and post therapy. Thus, directing the most appropriate therapy for the patient and in some instances, avoiding invasive procedures and reducing the number of diagnostic procedures.
Through a unique partnership with the Rocky Mountain PET Institute, we can provide PET technology locally and in an efficient manner. The current Medicare reimbursable indications include the following diagnosis: Lymphomas, melanoma, breast, colorectal, tumors of the head and neck, some thyroid cancers, NSCLC, SPN, and esophageal cancer. Private payors cover many other diagnosis as well.
Radiology
Our body imaging specialists, interventional radiologists and nuclear physicians provide comprehensive cancer imaging and interventional procedures. Detailed cancer staging and restaging including tumor volume measurement, PET scanning, and image fusion techniques are all available.
Our radiologists participate in specialty cancer management with the Lung Cancer Clinic of the Rockies and the Denver Clinic for Extremities at Risk (formerly Institute for Limb Preservation).
Tumor embolization and intra-arterial chemotherapy are provided by one of the most advanced programs in the world. The wide area network provided by our radiology group facilitates comparison of a patient's previous imaging at other facilities with the current studies and allows rapid communication with referring physicians at any distance.
Women's services including mammography, digital mammography, breast ultrasound, ductogram, breast cyst aspiration, stereotactic breast biopsy, wire localizations, implant mammography, sentinel lymph node injection procedures for breast cancer and melanoma (also done for men), and uterine artery (fibroid) embolization.
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