Image
Our program, accredited by the American College of Radiology®, is fully staffed by board-certified radiation oncology experts. Their priority is getting you well using the most effective treatment plan and state-of-the-art therapies that slow disease progression or eliminate it completely. Our treatments represent the latest research, precisely targeting tumors while sparing healthy tissue. You can be confident you’re receiving the highest level of care, with experts who always consider safety and the quality of your life today and in the future.
Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute’s radiation therapy program is nationally recognized for maintaining the highest safety and care standards. Our offerings include intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT), stereotactic radiosurgery, brachytherapy and now, AI-guided adaptive therapy with Ethos.
Radiation therapies offered at Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute
Gamma Knife® Icon
Gamma Knife is a noninvasive radiation therapy that delivers beams of highly focused energy to treat brain and upper spine conditions and tumors while minimizing harm to the surrounding tissue.
Image
SpaceOAR™ Hydrogel
Called a “rectal spacer,” SpaceOAR is a hydrogel that protects a man’s rectum during prostate cancer treatment, avoiding complications that could impact quality of life.
Image
Brachytherapy
Brachytherapy, or internal radiation therapy, treats prostate, breast, head and neck, and other cancers. A tiny implant is placed inside the body, very close to or in the tumor, preserving surrounding normal cells.
Image
Selective Internal Radiation Therapy (SIRT)
With SIRT, tiny radioactive beads are sent directly to the tumor through the blood vessels in the liver. The beads keep the radiation inside the tumor, reducing the radiation that gets to the rest of the body.
Image
Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)
Intensity-modulated radiation therapy, also called IMRT, uses powerful beams of energy – shaped to match the cancer – to kill cancer cells. It delivers the correct dose safely and efficiently.
Image
Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS)
With the Varian Edge™ Radiotherapy System, high doses of radiation are delivered to tumors of the lung, brain, spine and other areas of the body for faster treatment in briefer time frames.
Image
Varian Ethos
Using artificial intelligence, Varian's Ethos system takes detailed images and suggests modifications to your treatment plan in real time. It accounts for changes in the size, shape and location of your tumor and surrounding tissue, helping your clinicians better target treatment and spare healthy tissue.
Radiation therapy: What to expect
Radiation therapy uses beams of energy and other substances to break up cancer cells. Our radiation oncology team, which also includes nurses and other specialists, guides you through every step of treatment. Here’s what to expect.
You meet with one of our radiation oncologists where we discuss how radiation therapy can help you and which options are best for your needs.
Before starting treatment, you undergo imaging tests to pinpoint the precise location of the tumor. We also perform a practice session to make sure the radiation beams align with the location of the cancer during treatment.
How often you need treatment and how long radiation therapy sessions last depend on the type of radiation therapy you are receiving. We let you know what to expect and answer any questions you may have.
We continue seeing you throughout your cancer care journey as needed. Your care may include periodic imaging tests to make sure radiation therapy is working as it should.
Radiation Therapy for Noncancerous Conditions
Radiation is precise and noninvasive, so it’s an alternative for improving your quality of life if you are unable to have surgery or conventional treatments. Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute has expanded our radiation capabilities to treat benign or noncancerous conditions.
Our advanced techniques target very specific areas of your body with high-energy radiation without affecting your surrounding tissue. While the types of conditions suitable for radiation therapy continue to grow, the Cancer Institute’s radiation program includes some of the most common benign problems:
Osteoarthritis
If you are 50 years or older with moderate to severe osteoarthritis, and have not responded to other treatments, such as medications, physical therapy and intra-articular injections, you may be seeking alternatives. Low-dose radiation therapy (LDRT) may help improve your mobility.
Keloid scars
Scar tissue that grows over and beyond the boundaries of a skin injury or surgical incision is called a keloid scar. The overgrowth can become raised and uncomfortable. Radiation is used to disrupt the cells, reducing the size of the growth and preventing additional scar tissue from forming.
Heterotopic ossification
Sometimes, after trauma, surgery or a neurological injury, bone can grow in areas where it’s not meant to – such as in muscles, tendons or soft tissue. This ossification often causes pain, stiffness and restricted movement. Radiation can stop the abnormal growth.
Dupuytren contracture
There is connective tissue under the skin on the palms of your hands. If this condition is present, the tissue forms nodules and cords. These can contract, pulling fingers into a bent position. Clinicians use low-dose radiation to soften the thickened cords and to prevent recurrence if surgery is performed.
Image
