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"Tomotherapy - a powerful tool against cancer!". Breakthrough of Kazakhstani oncologists
“Zdorovie” (AKIpress) — Morbidity rates of oncological diseases among children and adults are growing in Kyrgyzstan. Doctors say that most citizens apply at a late stage and a part of them does not want to treat after the diagnosis. They believe that the treatment will not help and it is a waste of time and money.
However, modern methods of the fight against cancer and the latest technologies have made a breakthrough in the treatment, and now cancer is not a death sentence for patients. The main thing is to start treatment in a timely manner.
Everyone knows that radiation therapy is one of the main tools used in cancer treatment, along with the surgery and chemotherapy. Cancer patients expect fewer side effects from the procedure without damaging healthy tissues and the ability to control the beam effect on the body in real time. Significant progress has been made in this area, and today the tomotherapy responds to all requests of patients.
The effectiveness of this method is directly related to the capabilities of technology and equipment. In other words, such treatment is not available everywhere. However, Kyrgyzstan citizens have the opportunity to undergo tomotherapy in Astana.
In Kazakhstan, since 2019, the UMIT International Oncological Center of TomoTherapy has been successfully providing medical care to patients from different countries, including Kyrgyzstan. This is the first medical institution in Central Asia with tomotherapy.
Treatment at the UMIT Oncological Center of TomoTherapy
At the International Oncological Center, more than 500 patients annually undergo radiation therapy with various localization tumors, including hematological cancers. Adult patients and children from one and a half years old are accepted for the treatment from near and far abroad. Each case is considered collectively, it is determined whether there are indications and contraindications for tomotherapy, and only after that the treatment begins.
Psychologists also work with patients and provide psychological assistance to patients and their relatives. During the treatment, there may be changes in the course of the disease and the specialists will help to respond correctly to the diagnosis, cope with depression, anxiety and stress.
Director of the Oncological Center Yerzhan Shayakhmetov tell about tomotherapy in more details and answered questions from AKIpress.
- What kind of medical care can patients with oncological diseases receive in your center? How is the process organized?
- The UMIT Oncological Center of TomoTherapy is organized on the model of the best European clinics, and radiation therapy on the modern TomoTherapy HD machine is a uniqueness of the institution. 70% of cancer patients need radiation therapy, and the comfort and life quality of patients has risen to a new level due to the tomotherapy.
Our center is associated with an early detection of oncological diseases. There is a tomotherapy department, clinical-diagnostic and endoscopy departments, computed tomography room, ultrasound equipment, laser surgery, mammography with tomosynthesis function.
The National Scientific Medical Center located on the same territory, is our partner. The medical center has a large diagnostic base.
If a patient with oncology has an indication for a surgical intervention, here in the center we perform surgery of any complexity with a diagnosis: esophageal, rectal, gastric cancer, that is, all types of localization, and we also perform neurosurgery. A patient appealed for a medical help to our center can receive a complex treatment.
The UMIT Oncological Center is certified by the JCI. In today's realities, accreditation for the compliance with the JCI standards is the most prestigious in the world. This is an objective recognition of the quality and safety of medical services. The certificate serves as a trust guarantee for foreign patients.
- How many patients receive treatment at the UMIT center per year? What types of oncology are most common in your center? Are there many foreigners among patients?
- For 2022, more than 560 people with different types of tumors underwent radiation therapy in our center. On our machines the radiation therapy can be performed for children from one and a half years old. We work closely with the National Research Center for Maternal and Child Health concerning the tomotherapy for children with oncological diseases. Children are treated at the center, and come to us for tomotherapy sessions. Our machines allow to perform radiation therapy for children from one and a half years.
In November 2022, we have implemented the total bone marrow irradiation method. Children with leukemia are most often indicated for bone marrow transplantation and before transplantation they undergo the procedure of total irradiation. We have already successfully performed the procedure for 4 children and pediatric oncohematologists share good results after the procedure.
- What is the difference between tomotherapy and conventional linear accelerators?
- In our center, the radiation therapy is performed on the TomoTherapy HD machine, recognized as the gold standard in oncology. For Kazakhstan citizens, the treatment on the tomotherapy machine is included in the guaranteed volume of free medical care, and for citizens of other countries the treatment is performed on a paid basis.
Radiation therapy is indicated before surgery for tumor shrinkage, after surgery - to stop the growth of remaining cancer cells in combination with other treatments such as chemotherapy.
The TomoTherapy HD machine includes a CT scanner and a linear accelerator. On conventional linear accelerators, the irradiation field is limited to the size of 40x40 cm, and tomotherapy allows to work with a longer target - about 135x40 cm. Tumor always has a different shape and it is necessary to accurately aim for irradiation. The tomotherapy machine and program have a narrower field of radiation with modulated intensity and additional improved visualization. Irradiation starts from the edges of the tumor and, rotating in a spiral from different planes, reaches the center - this helps to evenly irradiate and protect healthy tissues as much as possible.
Cardiac patients often have implanted pacemakers, cardiostimulators, or artificial defibrillation devices. This is done so that the heart works smoothly in automatic mode. But in case of mediastinal, esophageal or pulmonary tumors, patients with pacemakers cannot be irradiated on conventional linear installations, since the electronics on these devices can fail. Tomotherapy allows to bypass them and reach the tumor. More than 0.5-2 Gy irradiation should not be allowed on pacemaker devices. Our experts have achieved that the total dose that falls on artificial pacemakers and defibrillators reaches only 0.5 Gy.
- And what side effects can be?
- Everyone knows that radiation therapy can cause skin burns, pulmonary fibrosis and others. The peculiarity of our TomoTherapy HD machine is that there are fewer side effects compared to others. We see it in practice.
- The tomotherapy procedure requires not only modern equipment, but also highly qualified specialists. Tell us about your employees.
- The team of the UMIT Oncological Center is highly qualified and has undergone appropriate training in different countries.
As I mentioned earlier, we are working on the TomoTherapy HD machine, manufactured by the American company Accuray. We have our own trained engineer who deals only with our equipment.
Before the opening of the oncological center, our doctors - radiologists, radiotherapists, medical physicists, medical operators – has been trained in India, the USA and France. Pediatric oncologists has also improved their knowledge in Russia.
We strive to constantly improve our skills - our team is a member of the European Society of Radiology. The specialists visit workshops and trainings. We allocate a budget for the training of our doctors.
- How do your specialists perform the radiotherapy procedure on TomoTherapy HD?
- The treatment process is complex, as it requires careful preparation. Computed tomography determines the boundaries of the tumor and organs at risk. The radiation oncologist contours the target, that is, the area that needs to be irradiated. After the checks, the data is transferred to medical physicists and a plan is drawn up based on the calculations.
We do not immediately start the patient treatment, first medical physicists use a phantom - special equipment. They irradiate the phantom and compare it with the planned irradiation. Treatment of the patient begins only after a complete matching.
The treatment takes 20-30 minutes together with the patient preparation, and the irradiation process itself lasts 5-7 minutes. Doctors, depending on the condition and the result, determine the number of treatment procedures. It happens that 5 sessions are enough for a patient, and sometimes it can reach up to 20-40 sessions.
- How does the center work with patients coming from other countries? What services are provided for them?
- For the convenience of foreigners, there is a medical tourism program. We accept patients from near and far abroad. We have coordinators for foreign patients and there are no language problems, translation services are provided.
Our center has partnerships with hotels in Astana. The center provides transfer services and will deal with visa support in future.
- Can foreign citizens have a consultation with your doctors?
- If you want to get a consultation from the doctors of the UMIT Oncological Center, you can send a medical history and examination results to our e-mail. Specialists will determine whether there are indications for radiation therapy, study the medical history, consult and tell about the program, the cost of treatment in the center.
For consultation:
E-mail: info@tomo.kz
Tel.: +7 777 201 44 44 (WhatsApp and Telegram)
Website: tomo.kz
Instagram: tomocenter.kz
