By Sally Owen

When Radiation Therapy had its rudimentary beginning just before the turn of the 20th century, it was hardly an exact science.

Physicians administered radiation with little understanding or knowledge of the physical nature and biological effects of radiation. There was no method of calculating the radiation dosage. The equipment used to deliver the radiation was primitive, temperamental, limited in energy; and treatment involved a massive exposure of radiation to a large area of the body with the hope that the tumor would be destroyed with a single treatment.

Today, radiation therapy is very much an exact science, and no one is happier about that than Earl Buerck of Cape Girardeau. Following a checkup, Buerck was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2004. His was classified on the Gleason Scale of one to 10 as an aggressive six, and his Prostate-Specific Antigen was an alarming 28.

After consulting with Southeast Missouri Hospital Board Certified Radiation Oncologist Joseph P. Miller, M.D., it was determined that by using interim hormone therapy Buerck could wait until Southeast opened its new Novalis® Shaped Beam SurgeryTM Center in summer, 2004 to start his external beam radiation treatments.

“Dr. Miller said the wait would be worth it. He was absolutely right,” says Buerck, who completed a seven week course of radiation therapy the day before Thanksgiving. “I felt no different on the last day of treatment than I did on the first. Novalis is one neat machine.”

Following treatment for prostate cancer, Earl Buerck and his wife Norma are back to their active lifestyle of country dancing and traveling.

Another Step Forward

Since introducing radiation therapy to the region in 1967, Southeast has stood by its commitment to offer patients the latest advances in cancer therapy. Novalis takes that commitment to an even higher level. This state-of-the-art treatment device for patients undergoing stereotactic radiosurgery or stereotactic radiotherapy (as Buerck did) is one of fewer than 60 worldwide and the first in Missouri.

During treatment, Novalis moves around the patient’s body so that radiation penetrates the tumor or lesion from different angles. While the tumor receives the full dose of radiation, surrounding healthy tissue is protected. Novalis may be appropriate for patients with brain tumors, metastatic tumors, functional brain disorders, intractable seizures, head and neck tumors and other tumors within the body such as prostate and spine.

Dr. Miller explains that Novalis, like Southeast’s Varian linear accelerator, is equipped with Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) to precisely shape radiation beams to the contour of the tumor. But Novalis takes IMRT a step further with Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT). Southeast is the only cancer center in the region to offer IGRT.

IGRT Benefits

The prostate gland, located deep within the pelvis, can move nearly a half inch on a day-to-day basis. In the past, radiation oncologists compensated for this by creating larger than necessary radiation fields and using lower total doses of radiation in order to spare normal structures near the prostate such as the bladder and rectum.

Prior to the initiation of therapy, four gold seeds, or markers, were ultrasonically inserted into Buerck’s prostate gland, Dr. Miller explains. “Using the IGRT system, we can locate the seed and the exact location of the prostate gland just prior to delivering each day’s radiation therapy.

This allows a maximum dose of radiation to the prostate gland while minimizing the dose delivered to nearby structures.”

Board certified Urologist Gregg S. Hallman, M.D., of Cape Urology Associates, says he has found that for the majority of patients diagnosed with prostate cancer, Novalis can be utilized as a treatment option.

“Most patients today have clinically localized disease and therefore a very good chance of cure,” Dr. Hallman says. Novalis offers many potential advantages to patients, including precision of delivery, decreased side effects in both the long and short term and the ease with which the therapy is delivered. Patients generally tolerate the treatments very well.”

Buerck and his wife Norma said they are glad they placed their confidence in Southeast and Dr. Miller. “The Radiation Therapy staff explained everything so we always knew what to expect, and they were always very patient about answering all of our questions,” Mrs. Buerck says. In fact, Buerck laughs that “we got lonesome not going to the hospital every day, so we signed up to be volunteers.”

Buerck is now an advocate for annual prostate exams and PSA screenings. “Our son is 51, and you’d better believe I’m talking to him about the importance of this,” he says.

What is PSA?

Until the Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test was introduced in the early 1990s, more than half of prostate cancers were not detected until they had already advanced beyond the prostate.

In general, a PSA level of 4 or less is considered normal (though that number may vary slightly by age).  If your PSA level is 10 or over, the chance of having prostate cancer increases to 50 to 75 percent. If your PSA level is over 20, there is a 90 percent chance that prostate cancer is present.

Signs and Symptoms

Usually there aren’t any symptoms in early stage prostate cancer. With more advanced disease, men may experience weak or interrupted urine flow, inability to urinate or difficulty starting or stopping the urine flow. Other symptoms include the need to urinate frequently, especially at night, blood in the urine, pain or burning on urination or continual pain in the lower back, pelvis or upper thighs. If you experience any of these symptoms, don’t be afraid to consult your physician – many of these symptoms are similar to those caused by non-cancerous conditions and can easily be alleviated. And there’s more good news – over the past 20 years, the overall survival rates for all stages of prostate cancer combined have increased from 67 to 97 percent.

Right for You?

Find out if Novalis is right for you or someone you love. Call Southeast’s Novalis® Shaped Beam SurgeryTM Center today  at (573) 651-5544 or 800-231-3874.