GPS - guided treatment
In July 2017, the radiation oncology service carried out its first pulmonary radiotherapy treatment using a GPS navigation device for the human body.
This technology, used until now for prostate cancer, makes it possible to:
- continuously locate the tumour in real time despite respiratory movements
- reduce the volume of healthy tissue irradiated and consequently
- increase the treatment’s precision.
Its use in the treatment of lung cancer was discussed by a multidisciplinary group of experts from HUG’s cancer centre. This advance is the fruit of close collaboration, particularly with the pneumology service.
To treat the first patient, HUG applied a protocol of eight stereotactic radiotherapy sessions. It plans to extend it to other patients with lung cancer.