Queensland University of Technology
Queensland University of Technology researchers are developing new techniques to allow greater accuracy in the delivery of radiotherapy treatments to cancer patients.
The research will enable the verification of complex radiotherapy treatments and potentially lead to improved treatment outcomes for cancer suffers.
Dr Andrew Fielding, from QUT's School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, said by developing online imaging technology, the project aimed to improve the confidence in which radiotherapy treatments could be delivered to cancer patients.
He said current online imaging techniques allowed the position of the tumour to be determined but gave no information on the radiation dose delivered to the tumour during the treatment.
"When treating cancer with radiation you want to target the disease and spare the normal tissue," he said.
"The effectiveness of radiotherapy depends on the ability to concentrate high doses of radiation on the tumour, while minimising the doses to the surrounding organs and tissue.
"It is therefore important that we are able to verify that the dose is delivered accurately and precisely to the tumour volume."
Dr Fielding's research will focus on areas of the body where organ movement occurred, such as lung cancer and prostate cancer.
"Where there is movement, there is the danger that the radiation is damaging critical organs or healthy tissue," he said.
"Online imaging will allow doctors to verify that they are giving the best treatment to patients undergoing radiotherapy, which at the moment we have no way of knowing."
Dr Fielding said radiotherapy treatment was given over a number of doses or fractions to prevent damaging surrounding tissue and organs.
"If radiation oncologists can know they are hitting the cancer directly they can increase the dose of radiation and potentially improve the rates of successful treatment."
Dr Fielding said with statistics showing that up to 50 per cent of cancer suffers undergo radiotherapy as part of their treatment, finding new ways to improve the technology to provide better outcomes was essential.
The three year project has been funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council and is a joint collaboration with the Royal Brisbane Hospital, Princess Alexander Hospital and Institute of Cancer Research in London.
Editor's Note: Original news release can be found here.
