Procedure
Radiation therapy is performed as an outpatient treatment, is non-invasive (i.e. does not require anesthesia) and can thus be easily integrated into everyday private and professional life. Depending on the extent of the tumor, radiotherapy can be carried out in one or a few treatment sessions as radiosurgery for small tumor foci, or as fractionated treatment over several weeks for larger tumors. Radiation therapy is often combined with chemotherapy or immunotherapy to improve efficacy. Close and personal support is a matter of course for us.
The Department of Radiation Oncology at the USZ uses only the most modern techniques for precise radiotherapy with few side effects. They are supervised by proven experts.
For many patients, we are already offering tomorrow’s treatment today: in clinical trials, we are continuously trying to improve the treatment of cancer in order to make it even more effective and tolerable. To the overview of currently open studies.
In the following, we will describe the different types of radiotherapy that are used depending on the extent of the disease.
Metastases from neuroendocrine tumors, e.g. in the brain or bones
Neuroendocrine tumors are a type of cancer that often forms metastases during the course of the disease: this is called metastasis. Common sites of metastasis are the lung, adrenal gland, bones, liver or brain. Radiotherapy is a highly effective method with few side effects to prevent or treat symptoms caused by metastases. This is usually done in combination with chemotherapy, immunotherapy or other targeted therapy. The smaller the metastases are and the earlier they are irradiated, the better the results. Today, metastases in the body can be treated in a focused manner in just a few effective radiation sessions.
For tumor foci in the abdominal area, e.g. liver or upper abdomen, we carry out body stereotactic radiotherapy (SBRT) on our MRI hybrid accelerator. State-of-the-art radiation technology is combined with MRI images. The radiation is thus carried out under MRI monitoring of the tumor, so that the highest precision is combined with the best imaging. Our clinic was the first in Switzerland to introduce this technology back in 2019. We are still the only clinic in German-speaking Switzerland to offer the highest level of expertise in this field.
Today, brain metastases are treated at our center in most patients by means of a single high-dose radiation treatment: this is called radiosurgery. Metastases at other locations in the body can now also be treated in a focused manner in just a few effective radiation sessions.
Locally advanced findings, palliative treatment
In some cases, the region to be treated may be unsuitable for stereotactic treatment, e.g. due to its size or location. In these cases, the radiation is divided into several small “portions”: the therapy is fractionated over approx. 10 to 20 treatment sessions per working day over a period of approx. 2 to 4 weeks. Spreading the radiation treatment over several weeks improves the tolerability of the treatment, which is mainly carried out on an outpatient basis and can be easily integrated into the patient’s private and professional life.
It goes without saying that patients receive regular medical care during this time in order to provide the best possible support for illness-related nutritional problems and complaints. State-of-the-art equipment and experienced medical physicists and MTRAs contribute to treatment of optimum quality and safety. At the same time, we work closely with our colleagues in medical oncology to guarantee “one-stop” treatment. We also consult with our colleagues in palliative medicine at an early stage.
In clinical trials, we are continuously trying to improve the treatment of neuroendocrine tumors to make it even more effective and tolerable. An overview of the currently open studies can be found here.