Specialized Treatment Options
UK HealthCare Radiation Medicine is a nationally recognized leader in the field of radiation oncology. Our faculty participates in and plays a leadership role in national clinical trials for cancer therapies. The department provides the most advanced radiation therapies available that help treat cancer and maintain our patients’ quality of life. These therapies include:
Total Skin Electron Beam Therapy
Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)
Three-Dimensional Treatment Planning
BAT Ultrasound Treatment Targeting
Low Dose Rate Brachytherapy
High Dose Rate Brachytherapy
Gamma Knife Radiosurgery
GliaSite Brachytherapy
Pediatric Radiation Therapy
Papillon Endocavitary Radiation Therapy
Low Dose Radiation as a Chemotherapy Sensitizer
Radioimmunotherapy
Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT)
This technique delivers high doses of radiation to the entire skin surface without treatment of the underlying tissues and organs. This is particularly useful in treating cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and other rare lymphomas. UK HealthCare Radiation Medicine has more than 15 years of experience providing this service.
IMRT is a form of three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy that focuses multiple radiation beams on a tumor. The intensities of the radiation beams are controlled by the radiation oncologist to deliver the highest dose to the tumor and minimize radiation to nearby tissues and organs.
UK HealthCare Radiation Medicine has a dedicated CT (computed tomography) scanner for imaging and three-dimensional radiation planning for patients requiring radiation treatment. The planning process provides detailed imaging for 3-D conformal and Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy.
BAT uses external beam radiation to provide daily imaging of a patient’s prostate. The prostate moves due to normal volume changes of the bladder and rectum. Information from the BAT system is used to pinpoint the exact location of the prostate each time a patient undergoes radiation therapy. The radiation treatment is more precise and does not damage normal healthy organs.
This procedure uses a low dose of radioactivity for treating selected tumors. UK HealthCare Radiation Medicine is very active in treating prostate cancer with LDR brachytherapy. Using ultrasound guidance, dozens of tiny radioactive “seeds” are carefully placed in the prostate to destroy the tumor while sparing the urethra, bladder and other nearby organs.
HDR brachytherapy delivers high dose radiation through temporarily placed radiation sources. Radiation can be quickly and precisely delivered to a tumor. Patients receiving HDR brachytherapy can often be treated on an outpatient basis. We currently have active programs that use HDR for pulmonary and gynecological cancer treatments. Patients with other local tumors can be considered for HDR therapy on an individual basis.
The Kentucky Neuroscience Institute treats patients in Kentucky’s only Gamma Knife Center. The Gamma Knife uses advanced three-dimensional planning based on high resolution CT or MRI scans to focus 201 beams of cobalt-60 radiation onto a tumor or lesion. Gamma Knife radiosurgery is an important option for patients with abnormal blood vessels of the brain (arteriovenous malformations), brain tumors or other tumors of the upper head and neck region. This treatment method is accurate to 1 millimeter or less, does not require surgery and often is performed on an outpatient basis.
This procedure places a brachytherapy balloon catheter (hollow tube) into the operative cavity after surgical removal of a brain tumor. The balloon catheter is later filled with a radioactive solution that causes the balloon to expand and conform to the inner surface of the surgical cavity. Radiation is delivered in equal doses directly to residual cancer cells. UK HealthCare is one of the few centers in the country using this technology.
Comprehensive radiation oncology services are available for children with malignant diseases. Clinical services include external beam radiation, with photons and electrons as needed. 3-D conformal therapy, IMRT, brachytherapy and stereotactic radiosurgery are also options, depending on the patient. Pediatric anesthesia services are available when needed. Contact the Ronald McDonald House (map) at 859-268-0757 or 859-268-1651 for assistance with temporary lodging.
Endocavitary radiation therapy is an alternative to surgical removal of small rectal cancers. Small favorable rectal cancers are best suited for endocavitary radiation therapy. UK HealthCare is one of only three or four health care providers in the country that offer this option.
UK HealthCare physicians found that ultra-low doses of radiation are capable of enhancing the effectiveness of chemotherapy. Clinical results of this combined treatment approach have proven so effective it is now used for advanced abdominal and head and neck cancers. Our Radiation Medicine facility is the only one in the nation that provides this type of treatment.
Radioimmunotherapy using antibodies "tagged" with a radiopharmaceutical substance. These tagged antibodies recognize tumor cells and bind with them, thus bringing the radiopharmaceutical directly to the tumor tissue. The tagged antibodies may be administered intravenously, directly into an artery, under the skin, or directly into a body cavity such as the uterus. Radioimmunotherapy can be used to treat metastases (sites away from the tumor where the cancer has spread).
Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) precisely delivers high doses of radiation to a tumor, while avoiding the surrounding normal, healthy tissues. Read more >>
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