For example, Anna Serur, MD, chief of colorectal surgery, notes that for late-stage cancers, radiation therapy may be used to reduce the size of the tumor prior to surgery and allow for organ preservation, avoiding the sur- gery entirely, or doing more limited resection. Some patients may undergo post-surgical radiation to eliminate any residual cancer cells that may exist in the margins. With more accurate technology, and a commitment to min - imizing complications and precisely treating the tumor, Englewood Health’s colorectal cancer team is shortening the course of treatment and reducing side effects that posed greater risks in the past. MIM Maestro allows for treatment comparison by enabling enhanced pa- tient image registration and contouring, and ease of comparison between previous treatment and current state of disease. In turn, the software equips radiation oncologists, in collaboration with medical and surgical on- cologists, to adapt treatment plans as the course of therapy progresses. This approach means more efficient and accurate treatment plan prepara-
tion and treatment evaluations, ensuring that oncologists can effectively target the entire cancer while sparing healthy surrounding tissue at every stage of treatment. Radiation Effects vs. Tumor Regrowth: New Imaging Technique Refines Assessment Neuro-oncologists at Englewood Health are one of few in the region using a new imag- ing protocol called high-resolution contrast clearance analysis. The protocol takes data derived from conventional 3D contrast-en-
radiation therapy treatments* 40,034
hanced MRI and provides neurosurgeons with additional insight into tumor characteristics, enabling more accurate assessment of radiation effects versus tumor regrowth, which can look similar after cranial radiation. This enhanced visual data now informs treatment decisions for patients with glioblastomas and other brain tumors. “One of the challenges we run into with treatment of malignant brain tu - mors is that the treatment, whether it be surgery, radiation or chemother- apy, often leads to changes in the brain that render MRIs uninterpretable, meaning we can no longer differentiate between treatment effects and tumor regrowth,” says Kevin Yao, MD, chief of neurosurgery at Englewood Health. “Contrast clearance analysis makes our decision-making process clearer, by enabling us to differentiate between the effects of treatment and regrowth accurately.”
Kimberle’s Story – Colorectal Cancer SCAN TO WATCH
At age 51, Kimberle was diagnosed with colorectal cancer for the third time. After seeking several opinions, she opted for genetic testing and found the best course of treatment for her at Englewood Health. Feeling confident in her future, Kimberle says of the Englewood Health team, “You don’t just feel like you’re being cared for just your illness, you feel like you’re being treated as a person.”
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