ORLANDO, Fla. (August 14, 2007) – They are hardly the size of a grain of rice, but the Beacon® electromagnetic (wireless) transponders used with the Calypso® 4D Localization System™ at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando are making big improvements in the care of men battling prostate cancer. Clinicians use the Beacon® transponders to guide the radiation specifically to tumors, while sparing the healthy tissue in the vital organs surrounding the prostate.
“Until recently, doctors relied heavily on daily x-rays to determine the ever-changing location of the prostate gland and correctly target radiation treatment. While effective, the method did not allow for continuous, real-time monitoring of the patient in the treatment room, which meant small movements –even breathing—could misdirect the radiation beam,” said Patrick Kupelian, MD, leader of the radiation oncology and genitourinary cancer sections at M. D. Anderson – Orlando.
M. D. Anderson – Orlando oncologists can now implant miniature Beacon® transponders in the cancerous areas of the prostate and use the Calypso System to activate the transponders during radiation treatment to track the position and motion of the prostate moment by moment – with readings 10 times per second. The system also alerts radiation therapists when the cancerous area has moved out of range so that the beam can be shut off and the patient can be repositioned.
“Unlike x-rays, the Calypso System does not emit radiation and does not add any radiation that would have been delivered while trying to image the target with the daily X-rays. The patient receives only the radiation intended for the actual treatment,” said Dr. Kupelian. “Since the system better targets the treatment area, doctors can administer higher doses of radiation to smaller areas in the body without fear of damaging surrounding healthy tissue.”
The system received FDA clearance for prostate cancer use in July 2006. M. D. Anderson – Orlando, along with Dr. Kupelian as principal investigator, was one of five research sites in the nation to study the effectiveness of the Calypso System before it was available to the general public. The system is one of the standard treatment methods at M. D. Anderson – Orlando for prostate cancer patients.
M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, part of Orlando Regional Healthcare, is affiliated with The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. U.S. News & World Report recently ranked M. D. Anderson Cancer Center as the top cancer treatment center in the U.S. and has ranked it as one of the top two cancer centers for the past 13 years. Orlando Regional, a 1,780-bed community-owned, Florida not-for-profit organization established in 1918, annually serves more than 540,000 Central Florida residents and nearly 3,000 international patients. More information is available at http://www.mdandersonorlando.org/.