“Gamma Knife differs from conventional radiation therapy because patients receive highly targeted radiation delivered to a specific focal area of the brain,” said Radiation Oncologist Randy Sorum, MD, co-medical director for the program and a practicing physician at Tacoma/Valley Radiation Oncology Centers.  “As a result, they do not experience side effects commonly associated with traditional radiation therapy.”

Gamma Knife radiosurgery treatment benefits patients with malignant and benign brain tumors, vascular malformations, trigeminal neuralgia and essential tremor. Patients respond to the treatment in just a few weeks or sometimes over several months, depending on the condition treated.

Despite the name, Gamma Knife is actually a bladeless procedure. There is no incision in the skull so the risk for complications is minimal. Gamma Knife can be an option for many patients who were previously not candidates for traditional brain surgery due to advanced age, co-existing health problems or high-risk medical illness.

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Gamma Knife Perfexion focuses 192 converging beams of high-dose Cobalt60-generated photons on a computer-mapped target.  Sophisticated, three-dimensional treatment planning provides extreme precision and makes it possible to administer a high radiation dose to the lesion without damaging surrounding healthy tissue.

During Gamma Knife therapy, patients receive local anesthesia, remain awake during the procedure and experience little, if any, discomfort. Treatment generally requires just a single session and patients usually go home the same day. Most individuals resume normal activities within 48 hours.

“We are committed to using state-of-the-art technology to provide our patients with the best treatments that can maintain or improve their quality of life,” said Neurosurgeon Peter Shin, MD, co-medical director for South Sound Gamma Knife and a practicing physician at South Sound Neurosurgery. “Gamma Knife can be an effective and non-invasive treatment option for many patients.”

South Sound Gamma Knife is a partnership between Tacoma/Valley Radiation Oncology Centers and St. Joseph Medical Center, part of Franciscan Health System. The experienced team of neurosurgeons and radiation oncologists at South Sound Gamma Knife has performed more than 440 procedures since opening in late 2005.

Gamma Knife therapy is a benefit of most medical insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid. For more information call 253-284-2438 or visit www.SouthSoundGammaKnife.com.

About Tacoma/Valley Radiation Oncology Centers

Tacoma/Valley Radiation Oncology Centers is an independent group of board-certified radiation oncologists providing expert, compassionate cancer care throughout the South Puget Sound region for more than 30 years. Initially formed in 1979 as Tacoma Radiation Center, today the Centers offer five locations for patient convenience:  Jackson Hall Medical Building and St. Joseph Medical Pavilion in Tacoma, the Dr. Richard C. Ostensen Cancer Center on the Good Samaritan campus in Puyallup, in affiliation with Capital Radiation Therapy in Olympia, and in the new Jane Thompson Russell Cancer Care Center on the St. Anthony Hospital campus in Gig Harbor. Tacoma/Valley Radiation Oncology Centers is also a founding member/owner of the South Sound Prostate & Brachytherapy Institute, LLC. For more information about Tacoma/Valley Radiation Oncology Centers, visit www.TacomaRadiation.com.

Talk to your physician to see if mobile HDR could be a good choice for you!

Hosted by South Sound Gamma Knife, the evening of education and discussion will include surgical and non-surgical treatment options for neuropathic facial pain, as well as current research, presented by Dr. Sorum, Neurosurgeon Peter Shin, MD, MS, and Alyssa Zemanek. Those with neuropathic facial pain, including trigeminal neuralgia and other facial pain conditions, and their support persons, are invited to attend. Refreshments will be served at 5:30 p.m.; the program will start at 6 p.m. Space is limited and reservations are required.  To register, call (888) 825-3227 toll-free or visit www.FHShealth.org/classes.

About Trigeminal Neuralgia

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a neurological disorder that causes sudden and agonizing, lightning-like attacks of pain, usually on one side of the face. These episodes of excruciating pain last from a few seconds to as long as two minutes. The presumed cause of TN is a blood vessel pressing on the trigeminal nerve in the head as it exits the

brainstem. The condition may be part of the normal aging process, but in some cases it is associated with another disorder, such as multiple sclerosis, characterized by damage to the myelin sheath that covers certain nerves.

An estimated one in 15,000 people suffers from trigeminal neuralgia, although the number may be significantly higher due to frequent misdiagnosis of the condition. More information is available online at www.endthepain.org.

About Tacoma/Valley Radiation Oncology Centers

Tacoma/Valley Radiation Oncology Centers is an independent group of board-certified radiation oncologists providing expert, compassionate cancer care throughout the South Puget Sound region for more than 30 years. Initially formed in 1979 as Tacoma Radiation Center, today the Centers offer five locations for patient convenience:  Jackson Hall Medical Building and St. Joseph Medical Pavilion in Tacoma, the Dr. Richard C. Ostensen Cancer Center on the Good Samaritan campus in Puyallup, in affiliation with Capital Radiation Therapy in Olympia, and in the new Jane Thompson Russell Cancer Care Center on the St. Anthony Hospital campus in Gig Harbor. Tacoma/Valley Radiation Oncology Centers is also a founding member/owner of the South Sound Prostate & Brachytherapy Institute, LLC. For more information about Tacoma/Valley Radiation Oncology Centers, visit www.TacomaRadiation.com.

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TACOMA, WA – Tacoma/Valley Radiation Oncology Centers has been designated a Center of Excellence in accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) for offering therapy with SAVITM breast brachytherapy. SAVI is a new kind of radiation therapy which allows more women with early stage breast cancer to choose a faster course of radiation following lumpectomy surgery. Tacoma/Valley Radiation Oncology Centers was the first SAVI provider in the Pacific Northwest, is the most experienced, and offers next-day consults.

“Women receive a simple, five-day course of radiation, rather than the traditional six to seven weeks of daily radiation therapy,” explained Ann Pittier, M.D., radiation oncologist at Tacoma/Valley Radiation Oncology Centers. “Patients can receive radiation treatment without giving up their active lives, and SAVI has few side effects.”

The unique design of the SAVI device delivers highly targeted radiation from within the breast through several separate, precisely placed catheters. The new device minimizes potential radiation to healthy structures such as the skin, heart and lungs. SAVI makes it possible to contour radiation based on a patient’s individual anatomy, so that many more women are now eligible to choose APBI – even women with tumors close the skin surface or chest wall, or those with small or irregularly shaped lumpectomy cavities.

Alice Sampson of Olympia was diagnosed with early stage breast cancer. After her surgery, she chose SAVI. “My husband and our grown son were set to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro,” Sampson said. “They were going to have to cancel their trip. SAVI meant I would be finished in just two weeks. I didn’t want them to miss their climb together. I also appreciated that SAVI irradiates the most at-risk tissue, not the entire breast. And I was so pleased with the warmth and care I received from Dr. Pittier and her team at Tacoma/Valley Radiation Oncology Centers. The whole treatment experience was better than I had hoped for.”

Designation as a Center of Excellence recognizes Tacoma/Valley Radiation Oncology Centers’ dedication to education, training and experience in APBI. To qualify, the physicians, medical physicists and clinical staff were required to complete a comprehensive training and education program to demonstrate proficiency in delivering radiation therapy with SAVI. Center of Excellence designation is a tribute to Tacoma/Valley Radiation Oncology Centers’ deep and ongoing commitment to patient education, advocacy and leading-edge treatment for women with breast cancer.

Breast Conservation Therapy

Breast conservation therapy encompasses lumpectomy (surgery to remove diseased breast tissue) and follow-up radiation. This choice is available to some women with early stage breast cancer, based on evaluation and determination of risk by the patient’s doctors, and the patient’s preference for this type of treatment. Until recently, the standard of care for breast conservation therapy included irradiating the entire breast with an external beam. Whole breast irradiation (WBI) involves a lengthy treatment course — once a day, Monday through Friday, for six to seven weeks.

While WBI is effective, the significant time and cost required to complete such an extended therapy often prove too difficult for many women. In fact, this burden is cited as one of the reasons that as many as 30 percent of women do not undergo the required radiation following lumpectomy surgery. Unfortunately, eliminating the radiation portion of treatment can significantly increase the risk that breast cancer will recur.

Accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) was developed as an alternative to whole breast irradiation. APBI delivers a more targeted form of radiation to the lumpectomy tumor bed, or cavity, and to the immediately surrounding tissue. This approach safely reduces the length of treatment from six weeks to just five days. This shorter timeframe is significantly more convenient than traditional whole breast irradiation, making it easier for women to choose breast conservation therapy.

The SAVI Procedure

Radiation therapy with SAVI consists of two treatments per day for just five days. SAVI is inserted into the lumpectomy cavity through a small incision in the breast. The ends of the catheters remain accessible during treatment. Once the applicator is inserted, the physician expands the multiple catheters to conform to the cavity.
A tiny radioactive seed is placed inside each catheter by a computer-controlled machine. This delivers the radiation to areas where cancer is most likely to recur, while avoiding areas of healthy tissue. The radiation source is completely removed after each treatment.

After the five-day course of radiation, the physician closes the catheters and removes the SAVI applicator. Most patients are able to return immediately to their normal activities after completing therapy with SAVI.

To learn more about this exciting new treatment call 253.627.6172, email sbissonnette@tacomaradiation.com, or visit www.tacomaradiation.com.

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