No.new hopes for “difficult” or inoperable cancers. Is called Cnao and is located in Pavia: il National Center for Oncological Adrotherapy it is the only one in Italy and one of the six centers in the world where, with a advanced form of radiation therapythey come treated tumors resistant to traditional treatments or inoperable, because they are difficult to reach or close to critical organs.
Tumors and hadrontherapy: the new frontier of radiotherapy
In practice, instead of using X-rays, this one cutting-edge technique uses protons and carbon ions. These particles are called “hadrons”, hence the name of the therapy, and have characteristics that allow a more targeted and less invasive treatment. Being heavier and more energetic, they allow you to better aim to destroy cancer cells: in short, they have better ballistic properties. For this they can be targeted with more precision on the tumor mass, compared to an X-ray beam, preserving the surrounding tissues.
Here because hadrontherapy is particularly indicated for the treatment of tumors located in delicate sites, in complex anatomical areas, as an example ocular melanomas or brain tumors.
Plus this technique reduces side effects and the likelihood of secondary cancers. That’s why it can make a difference on the pediatric patients.
Cnao
20 years of Cnao, 10 years of clinical activity
Established since Ministry of Health in 2001, the Center is located just outside the walls of the San Matteo Polyclinic and has been operational since September 2011. In 10 years of clinical activity, over 3,600 patients have been treated here, most of them for rare cancers.
The services offered by CNAO are included in the Essential levels of assistanceso I am covered by the National Health Service.
To the National Center for Oncological Adrotherapy of Paviaaround the patient rotates a multidisciplinary team. In fact, there are several professionals who take care of the patient and take care of his clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic management: medical oncologists, radiotherapists, surgeons, nurses, nuclear doctors, bioengineers, radiologists.
Where physics meets oncology
The heart of CNAO is thereparticle accelerator: the synchrotron. A ring of 80 meters in circumference with a diameter of 25 inside which ions and protons, after three million revolutions in a second, are directed to the treatment rooms for hadrontherapy sessions. In practice, inside the synchrotron, the hadrons “take a run” in order to then reach them with maximum precision and energy the tumor cells and destroy them.
Cnao
The technology is similar to that used by CERN in Geneva, but unlike the large physics laboratory, here the synchrotron was designed and built for the clinical treatment of cancer patients. Here physics meets oncology.
Tumors: how hadrontherapy works
During therapy, the patient lies down on a carbon fiber couch to be irradiated by the particle beam which, like a precision brush, hits the tumor cells. There single session lasts a few minutes and the number of sessions depends on various factors: the type of particle used, the type of tumor, its size and the site where it is located.
On average, 35 sessions for protons and 16 sessions for carbon ions. To ensure maximum treatment precision, the patient’s therapeutic path begins with the custom-made creation of the thermoplastic mask which must then be worn every time. From session to session, it will serve to always maintain the same position.
Cnao
Tumors, the new radiotherapy: work in progress
Celebrated 20 years from its birth and 10 years from the start of treatments with protons and carbon ions, the Pavia Center is now preparing to grow.
In fact, work is underway on the construction of one new area dedicated to proton therapy, with a proton accelerator able to rotate the beams around the patient and consequently allow further clinical solutions, more versatile treatments.
“CNAO wants to enhance the use of protons, by virtue of their effectiveness and reduced side effects,” he explains Lisa Licitra, scientific director of CNAO. “And it wants to collect, also through clinical studies and collaborations with international realities, increasingly strong scientific evidence on carbon ions, particles available today in only 5 countries in the world, also to be able to extend their use to the treatment of highly complex tumors such as that of pancreas. Collaborating with other treatment and research centers will allow consolidate hadrontherapy as an effective and appropriate treatment in the context of a targeted and personalized therapeutic approach “.
iO Donna © REPRODUCTION RESERVED