Treating Lung Cancer with TrueBeam™ STx Technology

According to the American Lung Association, lung cancer is the leading cancer killer in both men and women in the United States and causes more deaths than colorectal, breast and prostate cancers combined.  An estimated 158,040 Americans are expected to die from lung cancer in 2015, accounting for approximately 27 percent of all cancer deaths.

Lung cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in one or both lungs.  These abnormal cells do not carry out the functions of normal lung cells and do not develop into healthy lung tissue.  As they grow, the abnormal cells can form tumors and interfere with the functioning of the lung, which provides oxygen to the body via the blood.

At the Radiation Oncology Services at CAMC, lung cancer patients are treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) using the TrueBeam™ STx system. TrueBeam STx is a noninvasive outpatient stereotactic radiation therapy treatment with minimal to no side effects.  During the treatment, TrueBeam STx rotates around the patient to deliver hundreds of concentrated and precise beams of radiation to tumors and lesions in the lung.  TrueBeam STx combines advanced imaging and beam delivery to target tumors quickly and accurately, from nearly any angle.  Real-time imaging tools allow clinicians to see the tumor they are about to treat and respiratory gating makes it possible to synchronize beam delivery with the patient’s breathing.

To learn more about treating lung cancer with TrueBeam STx technology, please click here.  For information about other conditions treated by TrueBeam STx, please click here.