In the realm of cancer treatments, radiotherapy often faces skepticism and misconceptions compared to surgery and chemotherapy. However, with the dawn of precision medicine, radiotherapy has evolved towards achieving high precision, surpassing the limitations of traditional approaches.

World Cancer Day falls in February every year. This year, we highlight the advancements in radiotherapy that are transforming patient outcomes and encourage more breast cancer patients to consider it as a viable treatment option. 

*The top cancer types with the highest number of new cancer cases in 2020

According to the latest global data from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in 2020, breast cancer became the most common cancer in the world, surpassing lung cancer for the first time.

In Asia, including China, breast cancer rates are currently still rising. However, the good news is that the global death rate from breast cancer is decreasing, and it now ranks fourth among cancer-related deaths.

Women have become more proactive in seeking breast cancer prevention and treatment options early. Many are now opting for regular breast ultrasounds and mammograms, and they are also more vigilant in checking for any visible abnormalities in their breasts.

Breast cancer is gradually shifting from being viewed as a terminal illness to being recognized as a treatable chronic condition, with radiotherapy playing a crucial role in this transformation.

Introducing Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy has become an essential component of the overall treatment plan for breast cancer. When combined with breast-conserving surgery, it has proven to be as effective as mastectomies, the traditional treatment most commonly associated with breast cancer, in some patient groups.

For example, breast cancer patients with lymph node metastasis typically require radiotherapy after having a mastectomy. This treatment helps lower the chances of the cancer coming back in the same area or spreading to other parts of the body, ultimately improving the patient's long-term survival.

Dr. ZHANG Lihua, Section Head of the Radiation Oncology Department said, ”With radiotherapy, we "cut off" the tumor, using the "invisible knife" of radiation, applying small-scale high-dose irradiation. It does not require anesthesia nor creates open trauma, and is suitable for many types of cancer treatment.“

Effectiveness of Radiotherapy

One of the misconceptions around radiotherapy is that radiotherapy will kill a large number of normal cells while killing cancer cells. In fact, this is not the case.

Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT)

First of all, radiotherapy technology has made rapid progress and has become more precise. For example, the stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) used at Jiahui International Cancer Center shortens the radiotherapy time and reduces the occurrence of some side effects by increasing the single radiotherapy dose and reducing the total number of radiotherapy sessions. 

Optical Surface Tracking Radiotherapy (SGRT)

Optical surface tracking radiotherapy (SGRT) is conducive to more accurate positioning and irradiation of the radiotherapy target area, which can further reduce the toxicity of breast cancer radiotherapy. The issue of accidental injury has been largely addressed in today's era of precision radiotherapy.

Protect Your Heart: DIBH in Radiotherapy

The Radiation Oncology Department also uses Deep Inspiration Breath-Hold (DIBH), when administering radiotherapy on left-sided breast cancer. DIBH is a special technique that can protect the heart of patients from radiation during treatment. The patient is instructed to take deep breaths in and holds their breath for an amount of time during radiotherapy, so that the patient's lungs are inflated, and the heart is pushed down and away from the left breast, where the rays of radiation are hitting. 

DIBH also helps minimize how normal breathing moves the position of the area being treated with radiotherapy, which leads to more accurate treatment.

Advanced Radiotherapy Equipment and MDT Team

The radiotherapy team uses a linear accelerator (LINAC) to carry out the treatment, which generates high-energy X-rays and electron beams through high-voltage electricity. This process allows the machine to deliver precise radiation doses to tumors while minimizing exposure to surrounding healthy tissue.

While advanced equipment is important, successful radiotherapy for breast cancer patients relies on the teamwork of well-trained radiotherapy doctors, technicians, physicists, and nurses. Their collaboration ensures that the machines are used effectively and that radiation is accurately targeted at the tumor, which is essential for high-quality treatment.

Patients using public health insurance can expect to be reimbursed for 50% to 90% of their radiotherapy costs at JICC.

In addition, Jiahui has direct payment cooperation with 60 commercial insurance institutions worldwide and supports multiple payment methods. Jiahui also offers other payment options like pre-authorization and post-claim settlement, to enhance the patient experience.