Ellen had surgery to remove the
cancer, followed by several rounds
of chemotherapy. She was doing well
following her treatments, until tests
showed that a small cancerous lesion
had spread to her liver.
Surgery wasn't a good option for
Ellen because of her age and the complexity
of liver surgery, so her doctor
referred her to Kishore Dass, MD, Chief
Radiation Oncologist at The Regional
Cancer Center at Wellington. Dr. Dass
uses advanced technology called
Novalis® Shaped Beam Surgery to
perform noninvasive radiotherapy
and radiosurgery treatments.
Given Ellen's active lifestyle,
excellent health, and the fact that
there was only a single metastasis on
her liver, Dr. Dass recommended
Novalis Stereotactic Radiotherapy.
Unlike other current technologies, the
Novalis System features a multileaf
collimator (instead of a fixed, circular
collimator), with movable leaves that
tailor the radiation beams to contour the
exact shape and size of a tumor or lesion.
With Novalis, high doses of radiation can
be delivered precisely to the target area,
while sparing surrounding healthy tissue
and structures. Radiation oncologists are
able to eradicate tumors in the most
delicate areas, including the brain, spine,
lung, liver, head, neck, breast and
prostate.
Before beginning Novalis
radiotherapy, an individualized
treatment plan was created specific to
the size, shape and location of Ellen's
tumor. MRI and computed tomography
scans determined the tumor's specific
location and dimensions. The system's
sophisticated software calculated the
ideal access points for the tumor.
Ellen received 10 Novalis treatments
over a two-week period. During the
treatments, the equipment rotated
around her body, emitting radiation
beams that penetrated the tumor from
many different angles.
After a follow-up PET scan, she
received the good news. "I'm cancer
free. I have a clean bill of health," she
says. "I feel good, and I'm able to do
the things I enjoy -- dining out, going
shopping, attending concerts or the
opera, or visiting with friends. I'm
very happy.
"Novalis was my last hope," she
continues. "Everyone who treated me
was helpful and understanding. The
sessions didn't bother me at all, and
I was very pleased that I could get the
treatment close to home."
Want to Learn
More About
This Innovative
Cancer
Therapy?
Novalis® Treatment Saves Cancer Patient
Surgery Without the Knife
Ellen Harvey, an 86-year-old
Palm Beach resident, enjoys life to
the fullest. Even when she learned
that she had colon cancer in 2007, she
remained positive. "I was willing to do
anything to beat the cancer," she says.
"I feel good,
and I'm able to
do the things
I enjoy."
-- Ellen Harvey
Kishore K. Dass, MD, is a board-certified radiation oncologist and
medical director of The Regional Cancer Center. Dr. Dass is a graduate
of the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine and an
alumnus of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Ohio, where he was
instrumental in the development of stereotactic radiosurgery.
The Regional Cancer Center at
Wellington is the only facility
in southeast Florida that offers
Novalis Shaped Beam Surgery.
For more information, please call
The Center at
 |
Wellington Regional Medical Center, 10101 Forest Hill Blvd. Wellington, FL 33414 (561) 798-8500 |
