What is Novalis Shaped Beam Surgery?

In a word, Novalis is HOPE. HOPE for patients with cancer. Novalis represents the very latest in high-precision, state-of-the-art cancer care which destroys cancerous tumors without the need for traditional surgery, which means no incision, no pain, and virtually no recovery time. Many patients need only one short treatment, and can return minutes later to doing the things in life that they enjoy. Imagine it, no painful and costly hospital stay...this is not a dream, it is a reality that Southeast Missouri Hosptial has brought to the region.

Since 1967, when Southeast introduced Radiation Therapy to the region, Hospital leadership has continuously worked to bring leading edge technology to the region. "With Novalis, cancer patients now have access to the best and most precise technology available today," says Southeast President and CEO James W. Wente, CHE, CPA.

With Novalis, radiation beams are shaped to match the exact contour of the tumor or lesion so that even irregularly shaped tumors or lesions can receive doses of radiation which will effectively destroy the offending growth. Sophisticated software calculates the ideal access points to the tumor or lesion and defines the treatment plan. During treatment, Novalis steadily moves around the patient's body so that the radiation penetrates the tumor or lesion from different angles. While the tumor or lesion receives the full dose of radiation,the surrounding healthy tissue only receives a very small percentage of the radiation, which reduces potential damage to delicate structures such as the brainstem or spinal cord.

Novalis was first implemented for the treatment of brain tumors or lesions,where pinpoint precision is required to focus radiation treatment on tumors or lesions close to critical structures within the brain. Now, experts are taking advantage of the accuracy of Novalis to treat other areas of the body,such as the lung, liver, prostate and spine, to improve and increase the range of a patient ’s available treatment options.

Why is Novalis so revolutionary and effective?

• Novalis is extremely precise and accurate thereby minimizing radiation damage to normal tissue.
• Novalis ensures that the tumor or lesion receives an even distribution of the prescribed radiation dose by shaping the beam to accurately match the outline of the tumor or lesion.
• Novalis is non-invasive, with no incisions, no scarring.
• Novalis is painless, and treatment is usually performed on an outpatient basis.
• Novalis allows for a complete treatment session to take place in a single day for some tumors. The treatment team will decide whether the treatment will be given in a single dose.

Southeast Missouri Hospital is the first hospital in Missouri to open a Novalis Center, and just one of 50 medical centers worldwide, and one of fewer than three dozen in North America, to offer this revolutionary treatment for cancer. Novalis can be used to treat patients with benign and malignant brain tumors, as well as other tumors, including prostate cancer and cancers of the head and neck.

What is Novalis? In a word, Novalis is HOPE. Novalis is the Technology of Hope.