Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital has introduced a radiotherapy treatment plan and equipment, the Truebeam machine manufactured by Varian (USA).
In addition to the Truebeam, Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital applies the Dolphin system together with Compass 4.0 software, which assists in accurate evaluation prior to radiation delivery and monitors radiation dosage during radiation delivery.
During the treatment process, the team, consisting of radiologists, oncologists, medical physicists, and technicians, utilizes integrated imaging technologies within the radiotherapy machine to determine precise treatment plans, allowing for less than 1mm margin for error. All movements of the patient’s tumor and anatomy are calculated using the Optical Surface Monitoring System (OSMS) and 4-D simulation technology. The delivery of radiation to the tumor is also controlled to minimize adverse effects on healthy tissues.
“Patients remain conscious and experience minimal pain during the radiation treatment. Vinmec also combines postoperative care, such as psychological treatment and nutrition, to enhance the patients’ physical condition and facilitate early recovery”, stated Dr. Nguyen Duy Sinh, Head of Vinmec Central Park Hospital’s Oncology Center.
Dr. Sinh further explained that radiation therapy is one of the main cancer treatment methods, but its numerous side effects raise concerns and negatively affect patients’ quality of life. Advanced radiotherapy technologies can help alleviate pain.
In conventional radiotherapy for cancer, a relatively low radiation dosage is delivered to the patient over several weeks. The objective is to maximize tumor cell destruction while minimizing damage to healthy cells. However, due to technical limitations, traditional radiation therapy still causes some damage to surrounding healthy tissues, resulting in various side effects such as hair loss, fatigue, skin irritation (redness, dryness, pain, and itching), temporary taste alteration, and esophageal inflammation.
To address these limitations, advanced radiation therapy technologies have emerged and revolutionized cancer treatment.
High-precision radiation therapy encompasses various forms, including volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) for head, face, neck, esophageal, and pelvic cancers; stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for lung and liver cancers; image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT); and four-dimensional radiation therapy (4D-RT) for breast, esophageal, lung, and gastric cancers.
The common denominator of these methods is their ability to deliver significantly higher radiation dosages, up to 5 to 10 times, within a shorter time frame, with a focus on the target tumor to maximize treatment efficacy and minimize side effects.
For liver cancer, the effectiveness of traditional radiation therapy is limited due to the difficulty of accurately determining the tumor’s precise motion. Patients would receive radiation treatment covering the entire liver, which can cause damage even at a relatively low dosage.
High-precision stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for liver cancer overcomes this limitation by precisely localizing the liver tumor using an externally placed sophisticated optical surface monitoring system (OSMS) and remote patient monitoring (RPM).
Results from high-precision radiotherapy for liver cancer show increased one-year survival rates of 50–100% and tumor size reduction ranging from 60–100%. In contrast, with conventional radiation therapy, the one-year survival rate is only 25–35%.
Experts also note that high-precision radiation therapy is not only effective for liver cancer but also reduces pain for patients with other types of cancer. Ms. Huynh Diep from Ha Giang, a stage 3b breast cancer patient with 19 out of 20 lymph nodes affected, underwent 30 radiation therapy sessions. After receiving high-precision VMAT radiation therapy at Vinmec, she shared, “My first radiation treatment was very gentle. Contrary to what I imagined about radiation patients with burned or severely damaged faces, I went through many radiation sessions without experiencing burns due to the application of burn prevention ointment and ensuring proper nutrition.”
Despite the numerous advantages of high-precision radiation therapy, few hospitals in Vietnam implement this technology due to its high costs and the need for a skilled medical team.
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