First Cancer Center in Thailand to Treat Patients Using Innovative Image-Guided Radiotherapy

Early in 2012, clinicians in Thailand treated a 63-year-old liver cancer patient with stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR)—an effective technique of using high-energy radiation beams to destroy a tumor from outside the body, without performing surgery.

The Chulabhorn Hospital (Bangkok, Thailand) has become the first clinic in Thailand to begin treating cancer using the TrueBeam system developed by Varian Medical Systems (Palo Alto, CA, USA). “We determined that the lesion could not be excised surgically or treated with radiofrequency ablation because it was too close to the heart,” said Kanyanee Laebua, MD, head of radiation oncology at the hospital. “The TrueBeam system was ideal for this treatment. We were able to use RapidArc to approach the tumor from many different angles very quickly--an approach that maximizes dose to the tumor and minimizes exposure of surrounding healthy tissues. We did this using the TrueBeam system’s high intensity mode for delivering high doses very quickly. Dose delivery took less than two minutes once the patient was positioned for the treatment.”

The treatment was delivered in six sessions over a two-week period and each session was completed in considerably less time than is required with older technologies. “With TrueBeam, the fast dose delivery can enhance precision by helping us minimize the extent of tumor motion during treatment,” said Dr. Laebua. “Shorter treatment times may help patients find treatments less stressful, since they must be immobilized for each procedure.”

Clinicians at the Chulabhorn Hospital anticipate using their TrueBeam system chiefly for radiosurgical procedures to handle lung and liver cancer patients who are considered inoperable. “The image-guidance tools on the TrueBeam system are easier and faster for our clinicians to operate, compared with earlier generations of technology, and they enable us confirm the accuracy of our targeting during treatments,” said Dr. Laebua. “We look forward to offering more patients access to advanced types of radiotherapy that have the potential to increase tumor control rates.”

TrueBeam was designed to treat tumors with increased speed and accuracy, including tumors that move during treatment. It features several technical advnaces that dynamically synchronize and incorporate imaging, patient positioning, motion management, and treatment delivery during sophisticated treatments for cancer. With its high intensity mode, TrueBeam can accurately deliver high doses, more than twice as fast as earlier generations of technology.

“The TrueBeam system is Varian’s most advanced offering for radiosurgical procedures in the body, making it especially well-suited for treating cancer of the lung and liver, two types that occur commonly in Asia,” said Tom Duffy, head of Varian’s oncology systems business in Asia. “We are honored to work with the clinicians at the Chulabhorn Hospital, as they expand their capabilities on behalf of cancer patients in Thailand.”

Chulabhorn Hospital is one of the leading treatment centers in Thailand. The radiation oncology unit pioneered image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) in Thailand and is the first TrueBeam system installation in Southeast Asia.

Related Links:
Varian Medical Systems
Chulabhorn Hospital