By Fazeena Saleem
DOHA: The CyberKnife treatment facility at the National Centre for Cancer Care and Research (NCCCR) of the Hamad Medical Corporation ( HMC) is expected to benefit between 50 and 100 tumour patients every year. The region’s first CyberKnife M6 FIM Suite opened in December last year facilitates state-of-the-art treatment and is likely to receive patients from other countries in the region, besides Qatar.
Generally, tumours in all parts of the body can be treated with the CyberKnife. It is a non-invasive alternative to surgery, for both cancerous and non-cancerous tumours.
“At the NCCCR, we expect to use the unit to treat tumours which are located in very close proximity to highly critical structures, due to the ability of the treatment machine to provide focused treatment of tumour tissue while sparing the surrounding normal tissue. These include brain tumours, which may lie close to structures such as the brainstem, the auditory or visual nerves. Primary and metastatic spinal tumours in close proximity to the spinal cord and nerves are also indicated for this treatment,” Dr Noora Al Hammadi, Senior Consultant Radiation Oncologist and Chair of Radiation Oncology at NCCCR told this newspaper.
“Because of the robotic tracking capabilities of the unit, we anticipate using the unit to treat tumours in moving organs such as tumours of the lung and the liver. Tumours that are difficult to access through surgery, such as skull based tumours or cancer patients who cannot undergo surgery due to other medical reasons may also be considered for Cyberknife treatment,” he added.
From the current caseload seen at the NCCCR, it is anticipated that approximately 50 to 100 patients per year will benefit from CyberKnife treatment. The Department of Radiation Oncology at NCCCR is meant to provide timely access and world class quality treatment to any patient indicated for radiotherapy.
Referring to potential patients from the region, Dr Al Hammadi said, “Any patient can access services at HMC, whether local, regional or international. If a patient is referred through the Multidisciplinary Tumour Boards at HMC they will have access to the best available radiotherapy treatments including the CyberKnife.”
The NCCCR treated a total number of 450 patients in 2014 in the Radiation Oncology Department. The patients that received radiation oncology is about half of the total oncology patients seen at the NCCCR, according to Dr Al Hammadi. In Radiation Oncology, the NCCCR recently introduced a MRI-guided ultrasound treatment for cancer patients with tumours that have spread to the bone, and cause debilitating pain. “We are the sole Centre in the region to offer this therapy and the outcomes for our patients to date have been excellent,” said Dr Hammadi.
The Peninsula
