Bon Secours expands oncology treatment program

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On March 3, staff of the Bon Secours St. Francis health system gathered to bless a life-giving addition to the hospital system: an additional linear accelerator used to treat cancerous tumors throughout the body with X-rays.

The device uses Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy and Stereotactic Radiosurgery to treat lesions and cancers including those found in the prostate, lung, brain and spine over the course of one to two weeks, according to a news release.

Most contemporary treatment programs occur over the course of several weeks.

“This new machine gives us the ability to treat small lesions with pinpoint accuracy,” Dr. Albert Attia, radiation oncologist at Bon Secours St. Francis, said in the release. “It offers a faster delivery of radiation, cutting down on the time a patient has to stay still, and it’s a lot better at tracking the patient to make sure they don’t move, which improves accuracy.”

The Cancer Center’s current linear accelerator was also upgraded to meet patient demand, as it has been running above capacity since the program’s inception four years ago.

In addition, the hospital system will trade out a mobile Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography scanner, available on lease for a few days a week, for a permanent one. The new scanner will increase program capacity and reduce patient wait times, according to the release.