Adaptive radiation therapy (ART) is a radiation therapy process where treatment is adapted to account for internal anatomical changes.
Some organs in the body that require radiation therapy can change in size and shape over the days and weeks that a course of treatment can take. The aim of ART is to account for these changes and deliver the radiation dose to the tumour as accurately as possible.
What is ART used for?
At Peter Mac, ART is most often used with bladder cancer. The bladder can vary significantly in size and shape when full or empty, and ART takes this into account during treatment. Applications of ART to other areas of the body are evolving.
What does ART mean for you?
When ART is included within the radiation therapy treatment process, image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) is essential. Images taken immediately before or during your treatment allow the radiation therapy team to assess the shape and size of the area requiring treatment, every day. The treatment is then modified for any observed changes, to deliver the most accurate treatment on a daily basis.
The ART team
Adaptive radiation therapy is planned and delivered at all five of our Peter Mac radiation therapy sites: Melbourne, Bendigo, Box Hill, Moorabbin and Sunshine.
A team of specialists are required to plan and deliver ART, including radiation oncologists, radiation therapists and medical physicists. You will also be supported by a range of other professionals including nurses and allied health practitioners. The Peter Mac radiation therapy team is proud to offer this treatment, and we are dedicated to developing and progressing treatment options for the people of Victoria.
Please speak with your doctor to determine if ART is the appropriate treatment choice for you.
