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Dr. Forman is developing new technology to treat prostate cancer more effectively. |
Fighter pilots, space shuttles and radiation therapy all rely on advanced equipment to locate precise targets. Thanks to a $2.5 million grant from the United States Department of Defense, the Wayne State University School of Medicine and the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute will soon use flat panel sensors, similar to those used by the defense department, to detect and treat prostate and lung cancers which were formerly difficult to see.
Principal Investigator Jeffrey Forman, MD, professor and associate chair of radiation oncology, says although radiation therapy has become more accurate in destroying cancer, it is challenging to aim at a moving target. This new flat panel sensor technology will result in display screens with improved clarity, flexibility and sharpness. These improvements will aid cancer detection and treatment in sites that are associated with high mobility, such as the lungs and prostate. Normal fluctuations in respiration and muscle relaxation prevent these organs from remaining in a fixed position and make it more difficult to aim the radiation at a precise point.
Dr. Forman’s research team, in collaboration with manufacturing companies OIS and Varian, will do two things with the grant money. First, they will build a flat panel sensor to provide sophisticated megavoltage imaging of the cancer. Secondly, they will use the technology to detect and target marker seeds, specifically in the prostate.
"We developed this imaging system so it would be able to detect tiny metal pieces, or seeds. We implant the seeds in the center of the tumor and we aim the radiation very precisely, allowing us to destroy the tumor entirely, without damaging healthy tissue around the tumor," said Dr. Forman. The seeds, which are made of stainless steel, are implanted into the prostate or lung in a simple procedure. They remain in position so the imaging system can continually detect them and measure morphological changes around them to measure the success of the therapy. "They are completely inactive, so they can’t do any damage in the body and they cause no discomfort. They are simply our pointers," said Dr. Forman.
The flat panel sensors use silicon properties to build large arrays of electrical circuits similar to the prints on semi-conductor chips, explains Dr. Forman. They are used for large digital screens in entertainment, computer, defense and space flight industries. Now, that same technology is being employed to image the cancer and radiation and to display it on a sophisticated screen. The behavior of the radiation is monitored at every step. In fact, every single photon that is administered to the patient is tracked, detected and stored for a more comprehensive analysis of the effect of radiation treatment.
A prototype of the imaging system has already been built and Dr. Forman expects to begin pre-clinical testing in prostate cancer patients within a year. This technology has captured the interest of many biomedical manufacturing groups and the defense department has pledged continued support if it shows promise in treating cancer.
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This tiny seed, no bigger than a grain of rice, may be very useful in cancer detection and treatment. |