Walk into one of the treatment rooms at Penn Medicine's Roberts Proton Therapy Center, and the first thing you’ll notice is the massive machine in the middle: the focal point of the world’s most precise radiation therapy. And just like a crowd gathering to watch a shuttle launch, medical professionals from all over the world come to Philadelphia as a part of Radiation Oncology's Global Training Program. The program gives them a glimpse of the technology in person and an opportunity to learn the details of proton therapy in the hopes of bringing the treatment techniques to other cancer centers.
Speaking of shuttle launch…
NASA wants to send humans to Mars in the 2030s. But there are challenges that need to be addressed, including the unhealthy amounts of radiation that astronauts will be subjected to — something the Earth’s magnetic shield protects against for humans down here.
To understand the risks and alleviation of such exposure, organizations such as NASA are turning to Penn’s Department of Radiation Oncology’s new proton beam–equipped laboratory and a team of scientists for answers.
When it comes to space, scientists know that going beyond the Earth’s magnetic shield increases danger, but they don’t know much about that danger. A proton beam machine allows dose level and distribution to be manipulated, and unlike X-ray beams, proton beams get to their destination and stop. The researchers’ next step is to check off as many potential threats from NASA’s master list as possible.
“There is no zero risk. If you’re going to wait until you understand everything, you’ll never go anywhere,” shared Keith A. Cengel, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology. “You have to get to acceptable risk that aligns with the needs of the mission’s parameters. We work as hard as we can, as fast as we can.”
Meanwhile, on planet Earth…
Penn Medicine became the first in the world to deploy a new radiation technology platform to treat head and neck cancer. The Varian Halcyon™ system shows promise for a therapeutic approach that could offer a more user-friendly method to treat many different types of solid tumors than current practices.
Halcyon™ is a breakthrough in radiation technology, dramatically simplifying and streamlining the clinical workflow involved in radiation oncology. Positioned as a human-centered CT machine, the platform automates the majority of tasks required in older technologies.
“This is a next-generation technology, and Penn is proud not only to have helped with its development, but also to build on our long history as radiation oncology innovators and be the first in the world to bring the new option to patients — all part of our continued pursuit to offer patients with cancers of all kinds the most advanced array of treatment options,” said James Metz, MD, Chair of Radiation Oncology.
At about twice the speed of older platforms, Penn's early tests of the machine found that Halcyon'™s radiation was comparable — and in some cases more accurate — than the standard radiation therapy platforms. In the future, Penn plans to use Halcyon™ to treat breast and cervical cancer patients and to shrink tumors for symptom relief in patients with metastatic cancers.
While Penn's advancements in radiation technology are out of this world, the priority of the department and the highest level of focus is always on the patient experience. Penn Medicine offers quality of life and support programs to patients during the course of their treatment, as well as dedicated faculty and staff with disease-specific expertise devoted to treating and caring for each patient individually.
To learn more about Radiation Oncology, contact Kathleen Hertkorn at khertkor@upenn.edu or (215) 573-0187.