July 19, 2017 – El Camino Hospital announced today that it has installed a new Calypso 4D Localization System and will soon be able to treat patients with certain soft tissue cancers using this precise radiation technology.
The Calypso system is a radiation therapy treatment device that allows for real-time tracking of tumors as they move within a patient’s soft tissues. It has been in use for a decade to treat prostate cancer, however it was only recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use against other soft tissue cancers, such as pancreatic, breast, liver, lung, gynecological and more. El Camino Hospital will be the first hospital in the San Francisco Bay Area to expand the Calypso’s use to other cancer sites.
“Our biggest challenge as radiation oncologists is that our targets, the tumors, in the body move,” says Dr. Robert Sinha, medical director of Radiation Oncology at El Camino Hospital. “The only equipment that allows you to track that movement continuously is the Calypso system. By using its precise tracking technology, we can confidently keep the radiation beam on the tumor and therefore, irradiate less normal tissue.”
While this process has been well established for use against prostate cancer, its approval for expanded use on other soft tissue cancers is groundbreaking for our patients. Its targeted image guidance will improve the patient experience and allow doctors to consistently target only tumor tissue, reducing the side effects of radiation therapy.
The new device, which will keep El Camino Hospital on the cutting edge of radiation oncology, was funded by the El Camino Hospital Foundation. In addition to the Calypso system, El Camino Hospital oncologists have access to leading-edge radiation therapy technology including the CyberKnife®, RapidArc®, Intensity-Modulated radiation therapy, Brachytherapy, and more. The Cancer Center at El Camino Hospital offers numerous radiation treatment options and works with each patient to create a unique plan that will work best for them.
“Our priority is helping patients achieve a higher quality of life and allowing them to continue to enjoy doing the things they love, even while undergoing radiation therapy,” says Dr. Sinha. “El Camino Hospital is always searching for new and innovative ways to address health issues that can diminish or negatively alter someone’s life. Installing and deploying this technology is the next logical step in this endeavor and will greatly affect our patients’ overall experiences in a positive way.”
