Medical Breakthroughs: Lattice therapy to help target tumors
Related Story
Radiation is one of the best treatments for cancer patients.
However, it does come with some risks, including damaging nearby tissues and organs. But a new type of radiation treatment could limit those risks.
Diane Miller's life changed dramatically when she was diagnosed with stage four liver cancer.
"Your entire world shifts and nothing is, nothing is normal. Nothing's the same," Miller said.
Radiation Oncologist Andrew Frankart, from the University of Cincinnati, is the first in the country to lead a clinical trial that uses a new type of radiation targeting system to help patients like Miller.
"Right now, with radiation, we're more restricted to moderate doses that can help relieve symptoms and provide a temporary effect, but may not be sufficient dosing to provide a lasting impact or to control the tumor itself," Frankart said.
Traditionally, radiation targets the entire tumor with the same dose of radiation. The new approach, called Lattice Therapy, is able to target higher doses of radiation to specific areas within the tumor.
"The difference with Lattice Therapy is it's still using that arc to generate a plan, but we're purposefully making spheres or circles of higher dose within the target," Frankart said.
The higher dose means a higher chance of killing the cancer without hurting surrounding tissue.
Lattice Therapy can be delivered with existing radiation machines. The team now plans on testing the Lattice Therapy on patients with large tumors that have been resistant to other treatments.
News
