The SRT method, which has millimetric accuracy, is used as an alternative application to Cyberknife on the whole body.

Near East University Hospital has updated the “RapidArc” system in its Radiation Therapy Device, one of the most effective methods of cancer treatment. Thus, the Radiation Therapy Device, which is currently the most sensitive device used throughout Cyprus, can now destroy much smaller tumors with pinpoint accuracy. Radiotherapy, one of the most commonly used treatment methods in cancer treatment, is gaining features that can target only cancerous cells in a much more sensitive way, thanks to the rapidly developing technologies. Near East University Hospital continues to update its latest technological equipment by upgrading it to the latest versions.

The RapidArc system in the Radiation Therapy Device, which is used at the Near East University HospitQal and is the most sensitive device in Cyprus, has been updated and now it can make much more sensitive shots to the tumor area. Thus, the device can protect healthy tissue more effectively while sending radiation to the cancerous area during treatment.

Up to eight times faster than even the fastest traditional radiotherapy method!

The RapidArc system in the radiation therapy device, which allows pinpointing to the tumor area in cancer treatment, is a technology that aims to protect the surrounding normal tissues. It can be used especially in small tumors under 4 cubic centimeters in size. Additionally, it can be applied not only to the brain area but also to the whole body.

Providing a treatment up to eight times faster than even the most advanced radiotherapy techniques applied today, the RapidArc system allows applications that take approximately 20-35 minutes to be reduced to 2 to 4 minutes. Thus, the device helps patients with disease-related pain feel less pain throughout the treatment. RapidArc, called Volumetric Intensity Adjusted Arc Therapy, is a cancer treatment device that can be used in all types of cancer. The device rotates around the patient and performs irradiation without allowing the patient to move, thus reducing uncertainties caused by reasons such as organ movements.

Healthy tissues are protected more effectively!

The state-of-the-art RapidArc device, which distinguishes Near East University Hospital from other healthcare institutions throughout Cyprus in the field of radiation oncology, provides an effective and homogeneous dose to the tumor while providing a significant advantage over old techniques in protecting the surrounding normal tissues. While the device focuses on the cancerous area and delivers high doses, protecting the surrounding healthy tissues also becomes of great importance. Because, failure to place the rays correctly during the treatment, which lasts approximately 1.5 months, may cause serious errors. Sometimes, due to shifts of a few millimeters, the tumor tissue may receive a lower dose than desired, while a vital normal tissue next to it may receive a very high dose. Image Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT) techniques developed to prevent these errors also include OBI (On Board Imager) and CBCT (Cone-Beam CT) equipment mounted on the treatment device.

With the update, Stereotactic Radiotherapy is now possible in TRNC!

The most important advantage of the device is that it focuses a large number of radiation beams on the diseased area, increasing the dose to a very high dose, causing the tumor to shrink or die completely. In the treatment method popularly known as “point shooting”, the desired high dose can be given all at once or divided and given over a longer period of time. Applications performed by giving high doses at once are known as Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRT) because they produce similar results to surgical removal of the tumor. When compared to Cyberknife, the robotic radiosurgery system used for treatment of cancer diseases with millimetric accuracy, SRT with RapidArc draws attention with the success of the treatment that can be applied to the whole body and with the same effectiveness. With the update made by the Near East University Hospital in the “Radiation Therapy Device”, SRT, which can now be applied in the TRNC, can be effectively used in the diseases including malignant tumors such as brain metastases, brain tumors, some lung and liver cancers, spinal cord tumors, benign brain tumors such as meningioma, acoustic neuroma and pituitary adenoma, and some vascular diseases and some functional diseases such as epilepsy.

Prof. Dr. Meltem Nalça Andrieu: “We can apply the SRT method, which can destroy the tumor with a high dose of pinpoint accuracy at once, at the Near East University Hospital.”

Emphasizing that Near East University Hospital is the most competent health center in Cyprus in the field of radiation oncology with its qualified expert staff and state-of-the-art devices, Near East University Vice Rector and Head of Near East University Hospital Radiation Oncology Department Prof. Dr. Meltem Nalça Andrieu said, “We continue to keep the quality of the healthcare services we provide at world standards by constantly updating our equipment according to the latest developing technologies.”

Emphasizing that, thanks to the update they made in the Radiation Therapy Device, they can now destroy much smaller tumors with pinpoint accuracy, Prof. Dr. Meltem Nalça Andrieu said, “We can now apply the SRT method, which can destroy the tumor with a high dose of pinpoint accuracy at once, at the Near East University Hospital.”