The Saint John Regional Hospital is the first in Atlantic Canada to offer an advanced treatment option for prostate cancer.
Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) is higher dose radiotherapy offered in five treatment sessions.
It happens through significant precision and accuracy with expertise from the treating radiation oncologist and a team of medical professionals.
Horizon Health radiation oncologist Dr. Holly Campbell said the precision comes from implanting three gold markers in the top, middle, and bottom of the prostate.
“As the radiation machine is delivering the treatment, we can track these gold markers in the prostate and if the patient or the prostate moves, they turn off the radiation and reposition the patient so it’s very accurate,” Campbell said.
Campbell said the eight patients who have been treated so far have localized prostate cancer.
This treatment is best for those in the middle of the spectrum with their diagnosis not those with an aggressive form of cancer.
“They do have to go through the prep and then we do a CT scan and an MRI that we use to precisely outline where the prostate is in their body and then they have the five treatments,” she said.
Campbell said they take a lot of pride in the work they do in the oncology clinic.
“It took a whole team of people to develop this program and the policies and to perfect the imaging so we could this safely,” said Campbell.
The treatment already exists in larger cities like Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. Campbell said her team is helping to develop a program in Halifax.
It’s #ProstateCancerAwarenessMonth, and for the first time in Atlantic Canada, SBRT is available to patients. Patients can now begin & finish their #cancer treatments in as little as 2 weeks. To learn more watch our video below.https://t.co/WfXb0xQjNo
— Horizon Health (@HorizonHealthNB) November 23, 2021
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