Leading edge cancer treatments and programs at Baptist Health South Florida’s
Miami Cancer Institute and Lynn Cancer Institute, patients are living
longer, experiencing a better quality of life and navigating—what
can feel like an overwhelming process— with ease.
At Miami Cancer Institute, a novel radiation technology is making a difference
for patients with inoperable pancreatic cancer. The ViewRay MRIdian MR-Linac
technology safely delivers an unprecedented high dose of radiation over
just five consecutive days directly to the tumor using continuous real-time
MRI scans. The images allow for treatment to be adapted daily to account
for changes in the patient’s internal anatomy.
The Institute was the second cancer center in the United States to begin
treating patients with the technology. Investigators from Miami Cancer
Institute recently published the first clinical outcomes of chemotherapy
followed by MR-guided stereotactic ablative radiation (SABR) therapy on
an MR-Linac for inoperable pancreas cancer in Practical Radiation Oncology.
The study, which included 35 patients ranging in age from 34 to 89 years,
used nearly twice the radiation dose that is safely deliverable on a standard
radiation delivery machine. One year after SABR, nearly 90 percent of
patients had their cancer controlled locally and almost 60 percent of
patients were alive, both of which are favorable compared to historical
outcomes with lower radiation doses. Some patients who initially had inoperable
pancreatic cancer ultimately were able to undergo successful surgery because
of their excellent response after SABR.
“A significant number of our patients have surpassed the expected
survival rate for this deadly disease, with many alive several years after
their initial diagnosis,” said Michael Chuong, M.D., director of
MRI-Guided Radiation Therapy at Miami Cancer Institute and a radiation
oncologist specializing in gastrointestinal cancers. He expects to publish
long-term survival outcomes soon.
In addition, most patients experienced few, if any, side effects. “It
is remarkable that we have seen such little treatment toxicity given the
incredibly high radiation dose that is delivered to tumors in the pancreas
that are surrounded by the stomach and intestines,” he said. “Patients
are in and out within about an hour. They go back to work or play golf
and do their normal activities.”
As part of Baptist Health, Miami Cancer Institute is the only cancer program
in the world with all of the newest radiation therapies in one place and
was the first in South Florida to offer proton therapy. A center that
has a wide range of specialists and therapies such as Miami Cancer Institute
is one that can develop an innovative and customized treatment plan for
every patient.
In Palm Beach County, the Lynn Cancer Institute at Boca Raton Regional
Hospital, in addition to a strong technology focus, has an individualized
and multidisciplinary approach to cancer care which is the cornerstone
of their multimodality clinics model. This
innovative approach to cancer care gives patients access to various experts
under one roof in one visit. Physicians from different cancer sub-specialties,
along with social workers, dietitians, geneticists, radiologists, pathologists
and others meet to collectively provide expertise from all angles. Patients
meet individually with key team members in one visit, at the same location—helping
them navigate with ease what can seem overwhelming after a cancer diagnosis.
“You can have confidence, knowing your doctors are talking to each
other,” said Louise Morrell, M.D., medical director of Lynn Cancer
Institute. “In this multidisciplinary team approach, every specialist
reviews the case and contributes input in a timely way. The treatment
isn’t launched until everyone has weighed in on what would best
suit the patient.”
Special multimodality clinics in breast, urologic/genitourinary, gastrointestinal,
thoracic (lung), brain and skin cancers are offered weekly at Lynn Cancer
Institute.