Survival rates in stage 4 metastatic cancers are increasing with technology

In radiation therapy, commonly known as "beam therapy" among the public, it has been stated that for patients with stage 4 (advanced stage) cancer and multiple metastases, life expectancy can be significantly extended using a "pinpoint" method that delivers very high doses of radiation to a small area.

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Survival rates in stage 4 metastatic cancers are increasing with technology

Prof. Dr. Banu Atalar, Vice President of the Turkish Society for Radiation Oncology, explained that cancer is among the leading causes of death worldwide, but significant progress has been made in survival rates due to increased early diagnosis opportunities through screening programs and the use of advanced technology in treatment.

Emphasizing that cancer treatment can vary depending on the type, nature, extent, and stage of the tumor, Atalar reminded that radiotherapy, known as "beam therapy" among the public, has been actively used in treatment for many years.

"VERY HIGH DOSES OF RADIATION ARE DELIVERED TO A SMALL AREA"

Prof. Dr. Atalar pointed out that with advancing technology, radiotherapy can now be applied even to very small targets, stating, "With the stereotactic radiosurgery method, referred to as 'pinpoint' among the public, it is possible to reach and completely eliminate tumors even in very small or hard-to-reach spots."

Explaining that this method is defined as "delivering a very high dose of radiation to a small area," Atalar said, "It is necessary to limit this to a tumor of at most 3-4 centimeters. Because as the tumor grows, the effects of the dose on surrounding tissues increase. In this method, the target must be small."

Atalar stated that with the pinpoint method, multiple regions can be irradiated in a short time, and provided the following information:

"Thanks to this technique, it has become possible to irradiate several regions at the same time in a short period. If the patient has tumors in different parts of their body, the tumor can be eliminated with pinpoint precision after an evaluation. In this case, applying surgery separately for tumors in these different regions would be a method that is not easy for the patient and could have a long recovery time.

However, it is now possible to eliminate the tumor with pinpoint precision applied to different regions at once. Metastasis can be in different organs of the patient, there is no harm in this, but according to the studies we have, it is important that the number of metastases is between 1-5. But it is also predicted that this number will increase in ongoing studies. Accordingly, for now, it is possible to extend life expectancy with the pinpoint method in patients with a limited number of metastases between 1-5. There are also significant increases in disease-free survival rates in scientific publications."

Pointing out that the pinpoint method provides significant advantages to the patient, Atalar assessed, "Thanks to this new technology, tumor control can be achieved by delivering high doses of radiation to different regions without incisions, anesthesia, or needles, and the patient can start other necessary treatments the day after the application. In this method, no invasive procedure is performed. The treatment ends in about half an hour."

Atalar also stated that this method can be applied to all types of cancer, adding, "So much so that we are now achieving the same results as surgery in early-stage lung cancers, early-stage prostate cancers, and brain metastases."

Stating that side effects are much lower with this method compared to surgery in early-stage lung and early-stage prostate cancer, Atalar noted that Turkey has a very good technical infrastructure in terms of these technologies.

Atalar concluded her words by saying, "We have very advanced devices and very good physicians in our country. There is no problem in accessing treatment; what is important here is to determine which method should be applied to which patient and to start the treatment as soon as possible. The amount of dose to be applied to the patient and the choice of method should be determined by radiation oncologists."

News Source: AA