Cancer patients were among the most vulnerable groups to the COVID-19. Because of their condition and the effects of their treatments, cancer patients have an increased risk of contracting the virus and developing severe symptoms of the infection.

For many, this fear of COVID-19 has put cancer treatment on the back burner. Fortunately, Cardinal Santos Medical Center’s (CSMC) Cancer Center recognizes the importance of balancing the criticalities of COVID-19 and cancer treatment.

Cardinal Santos Medical Center Vital Beam Linear Accelerator machine — Cardinal Santos Medical Center now houses the Vital Beam Linear Accelerator machine, which allows the hospital to elevate the level of cancer treatment offered to patients.

Dr. John Mark Carabeo, a Radiation Oncologist and Cardinal Santos’ Training Officer and Assistant Chief of Section of Radiation Oncology, shares the new machine acquired by the hospital that allows them to elevate the level of cancer treatment offered to patients.

The new machine – the Vital Beam Linear Accelerator – has enhanced cancer treatment and made it easier despite the pandemic, Dr. Carabeo said.

“The Vital Beam offer widespread different radiation techniques that we could not offer before, such as stereotactic radiation therapy, image-guided radiation treatment, and volumetric arc radiation therapy.”

With all the advanced techniques that the new Vital Beam machine offers, CSMC is now able to provide higher radiation doses effectively to patients without compromising the organs surrounding the targeted area during radiation.

Respiratory Gating, for one, is a technique used on smaller tumors situated in mobile organs such as the lungs. It allows Oncologists to study the pattern of the patient’s respiration or breathing, and deliver the radiation dose to a specific respiratory phase of the patient so that only the tumor will receive a high dose of radiation.

This technique decreases the potential detrimental toxicities to the patient by sparing normal tissues that are not delineated as targets, Dr. Carabeo explained.

Receiving radiation therapy, however, is a cancer treatment option that requires expert evaluation of a number of factors such as the type of cancer, and the overall health and strength of the patient.

“Determining the appropriateness of patient receiving radiation therapy usually takes a multidisciplinary team effort, wherein we discuss our cases and see if a patient will benefit from radiation therapy based on clinical guidelines, standard practice, performance status of the patient and the goals of treatment,” Dr. Carabeo said, adding that the number of sessions that the patient will need for radiation treatment will also depend on the histology of the tumor, their medical condition and the intention of treatment.

The diagnosis of Cancer and the stigma of it being a terminal disease will always bring anxiety to patients but it is important, when in doubt, that one seeks proper medical guidance from experts in order to increase the chances of conquering cancer.

With the new knowledge that Oncologists from Cardinal Santos Medical Center have acquired from numerous clinical trials and studies, new drugs, the advancement of technology and the team’s growing experience in cancer management, the future of Cancer treatment is bound to only get brighter.

For more information about Radiation Therapy and the new radiation therapy techniques that CSMC offers, please visit https://cardinalsantos.com.ph/. CSMC is also on Facebook, like and follow them at www.facebook.com/CardinalSantos.