Cancer Center expands new radiation technology to breast cancer

GOSHEN, Ind. - In September, Goshen Center for Cancer Care and James Wheeler, MD, PhD, Director of Radiation Oncology, became the first cancer center and oncologist in Indiana to implement a new technology that measures the dosage of radiation directly from the tumor site.

This new technology, called DVS or Dose Verification System, is an implantable dosimeter that allows doctors to measure the precise amount of radiation delivered to tumors and surrounding tissue. The device is the first of its kind in the United States, and the small thin capsule - about the length of a dime - can typically be inserted inside the patient in less than 15 minutes.

Goshen initially used DVS technology in the treatment of prostate cancer. In October, the cancer center expanded its use to breast cancer with the first breast cancer patient received her DVS implant on Oct. 26. DVS has been FDA-approved in the treatment of prostate and breast cancer, and is currently seeking FDA-approval in the treatment of other cancers as well.

After each radiation treatment, DVS provides the physician with a measurement of the actual amount of radiation hitting the target - the tumor or area from which a tumor has been removed. The DVS sensor wirelessly transmits data to a hand-held monitor, giving the doctor immediate feedback during each treatment session.

"In the past, radiation was delivered to larger areas and the need for accuracy was not as great. As technology advances and we become more precise - pinpointing the exact location where radiation is needed, it is becoming necessary to develop better monitoring techniques," Wheeler said. "While we have sophisticated technology that tells us the exact location of the tumor and the dosage we want to give, DVS gives us even more accuracy - a way to measure the radiation dose directly at the tumor site."

Being the first cancer center in Indiana to implement DVS is a reflection of Goshen Center for Cancer Care's commitment to rapidly implement advances as they become available, said Wheeler.

"We are bringing patients the most technically advanced care available in 2009," he said. "We are never satisfied with just standing still, content to do things the same way they have always been done. We are always looking for improvements that can take us even further in the fight against cancer."