Dr. Jeffrey Forman, medical director of 21 Century Oncology says he’s ‘been riding a wave of technology and innovation? for the past 27 years of study.
‘It turns out the way we did things 27 years ago is archaic and ready for the Smithsonian,? he said. ‘Our field continues to evolve based on improving technology, improving computerization, and then physicians improving knowledge as well as improving the facility to use it.?
Forman, who specializes in prostate cancer, says he has seen amazing improvements in radiation therapy. He says the concept of radiation therapy is not a complicated process ‘hit the bad stuff, miss the good stuff and you end up with a good outcome.?
However, he said the reality has proven a little more difficult then the process.
‘Where the technology has involved is primarily in allowing us to create this separation as what we refer to as a therapeutic ratio between controlling the cancer and minimizing side effects,? he said. ‘The wider apart you spread those two things, low side effects, high tumor sterilization the better your treatment.?
Forman said he’s watched radiation treatment evolve from ‘Cobalt radiation therapy,? which used a hunk of radioactive material, to some of the modern day linear accelerators, which uses electricity to produce artificial radiation.
He has also watched the evolution of 3D planning by using CAT scans to help create a 3D target of the tumor, which is how most patients are treated in the country today.
‘We found we could even improve on three dimensional treatment planning with techniques of treatments called intensity modulated Radiation Treatment IMRT simply allow us to better accomplish our goal of targeting cancer and missing the normal structures,? he said. ‘Many of the modern linear accelerators today are capable of delivering Intensity Modulated Radiation,? but the way it’s done is through a ‘point and shoot? method.?
The ‘point and shoot? method, Forman said only hits a patients at a few different angles, but technology has gone a step further and now allows continuous 360 degree radiation delivery around the target with a method called ‘Tomo-Therapy.?
‘The advantage of tomo-therapy is simple,? he said. ‘It’s the Holy Grail of what we’ve been trying to accomplish over the past 30 plus years, which is as of 2009 the best technology available to hit the cancer and miss the surrounding normal structures.?
When compared to other linear accelerators, Forman said the tomo-therapy does just as good if not better than other forms of radiation therapy, but ‘it’s never worse.? The only setting where he said its limited is treating skin cancer.
Dr. Mike Doyle, an Emergency Room doctor in Pontiac, recently underwent Tomo-Therapy for prostate cancer said he was ‘amazed? how minimal the side-effects have been.
‘Emergency medicine is kind of a tough physical job, you work a lot of time on your feet, 12 hour days and things like that,? he said. ‘I was kind of concerned of how I was going to be able to do it. I’ve had wonderful associates so it’s been nice, but I’ve really haven’t missed any work. My side effects have been very minimal.?
Doyle, was diagnosed with prostate cancer March of 2008 and had surgery, but had a relapse in late July of 2009.
‘Both my private urologist and the university urologist I was seeing recommended I come see Dr. Forman,? he said. ‘I think I was more concerned about going through the radiation then the surgery.?
Doyle said going from doctor to patient is a different role.
‘I think it makes you a better doctor because I think you have empathy with patients,? he said. ‘No matter how long you’ve been doing this.?
Though Forman wears many different hats in his practice, he said his favorite part is monitoring the patient after they’ve been treated.
‘I tell patients it’s like marriage vows, I monitor them until death due us part, hopefully it is death from old age and not from the cancer,? he said. ‘I love seeing patients who I treated a long time ago who are still doing well.?
Forman will be talking about prostate cancer prevention on Oct. 21 at the Independence Township Senior Center. For more information call 248-625-2273 or visit www.21stcenturyoncology.com