Dr. Barry Gardner - Oncology - Findatopdoc.com, Thornton, CO, USA

Barry L. Gardner, MD, is a board certified radiation oncologist with more than 20 years of medical experience and is the medical director of radiation oncology at the Radiation Oncology Center of Thornton.

Barry L. Gardner, MD specializes in treating all types of cancer and some special benign tumors using state-of-the-art techniques including radiosurgery, image guided-intensity modulated radiation therapy, High Dose Rate and Low Dose Rate Brachytherapy and radio-immunotherapy. Dr. Gardner has spent time in the United States Air Force, and is a military physician as well as a civilian one.

Schedule an Appointment: (303) 657-3780

Barry L. Gardner, MD is a Leading Physician of the World:

www.ibwire.net/barry-gardner-md-represents-colorado-inclusion-renowned-publication-leading-physicians-world/

www.youtu.be/1PPbMUcFRzQ


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Radiosurgery Procedures

Radiosurgery is a radiation delivery procedure that precisely delivers large radiation doses to tumors and other relevant anatomical targets in a single session or in a small number of sessions (typically up to five). The goal of this non-invasive procedure is to destroy, or make inactive, the target anatomy without harming nearby healthy tissue and without involving traditional surgery.

Historically, radiosurgery began by treating targets in the brain and has now extended to targets in the spine and other extracranial organs. Recent studies have suggested this strategy can be more effective at killing or controlling certain types of cancer.

The clinical targets for radiosurgery are relatively small and well defined. High-resolution 3D imaging techniques such as CT and MRI help identify and clinically define these targets and the critical structures surrounding them. Sometimes a small number of targets are treated simultaneously. As they involve a small number of fractions of radiation—hypofractionation—radiosurgical procedures are generally completed within the same week.

Radiosurgery with the Novalis Tx™ radiosurgery platform is typically performed in 30 minutes or less. Recent advances in treatment delivery with Varian RapidArc has the promise to allow a single 6 Gy fraction to be performed in six minutes. These treatment times compare with other systems where treatment may take hours for a single fraction. Shorter treatment times increase patient comfort and minimize patient motion. This makes compensating for movement easier, and can result in more precise treatments being performed.

Radiotherapy and Radiosurgery

External beam radiotherapy, often simply referred to as radiotherapy, is a radiation delivery procedure involving ~30 fractions of low dose high-energy radiation. Usually administered over a period of six weeks, its goal is tumor control or disease palliation. Radiotherapy operates under the radiobiological assumptions of the “Four Rs”: reoxygenation, reassortment, repopulation, and repair. Radiotherapy is typically used for larger tumors, a larger number of tumors, for end-stage disease tumors in combination with chemotherapy, and for systemic diseases such as blood-borne cancers.

Radiotherapy contrasts with radiosurgical techniques, which are used for one or a small number of highly definable tumors treated with a small number of fractions – typically 5 or fewer, in under a week.

Radiosurgery Techniques

Today’s stereotactic radiosurgery procedures are based on hypofractionated techniques that use high doses of radiation on tightly defined tumors where the goal is to destroy target tumors or anatomical sites while sparing carefully defined adjacent critical structures and normal tissues.

The terminology to describe these techniques is often used interchangeably within the medical community, often only distinguished by context. Here are some standard definitions drawn from medical usage and literature today:

Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS)

SRS uses externally generated ionizing radiation to inactivate or eradicate a defined target(s) in the head or spine without the need to make an incision. The target is defined by high resolution stereotactic imaging, and treatment is typically performed in a single session, but can be performed in up to five sessions.

Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT)

SBRT involves the administration of a few very large radiation doses to an isolated tumor or tumors within the body, with the goal of complete tumor cell kill in the treated volume. Similar to SRS, SBRT is an image-based treatment, and a high dose of radiotherapy intended to eradicate the tumor could be given in one session.

Stereotactic Radiotherapy (SRT)

SRT is a type of external beam radiation therapy that can be completed in one to five days rather than several weeks. SRT is best for very small tumors as it can deliver the right amount of radiation in a shorter amount of time than traditional treatments. Doctors use specialized imaging equipment to pinpoint the exact location of the cancer cells, and monitor the area of the cancer and other organs on a screen while treatment is taking place. SRT is usually called stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) when referring to treating tumors in or near the brain or spinal cord, and called stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) when referring to areas of the body other than the brain or spinal cord.

External Beam Radiation Therapy

IMRT, or intensity modulated radiation therapy, is a technique which uses the 3-D scans of your body to guide the beams of radiation to the tumor from many different angles. At each of these angles, the intensity of the radiation is varied (modulated) and the shape changed to suit the shape of the tumor. This directs the prescribed amount of radiation to each part of the tumor, and minimizes exposure to the surrounding healthy tissue. IMRT treatments are typically delivered daily for 10-20 minutes over a 6-8 week time period.
IGRT, or image-guided radiation therapy uses sophisticated computer software to analyze a series of image scans to create a detailed, three-dimensional picture of the tumor, or target, and the surrounding tissues. The scans typically are produced by computed tomography (CT scan), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or positron emission tomography (PET scan).
VMAT, or volumetric arc therapy, is an advanced form of radiation treatment introduced by Varian. VMAT uses special software and an advanced linac to deliver treatments quickly. With conventional treatments the linac makes repeated stops to treat the tumor from a number of different angles. With VMAT, the treatments can be delivered to the entire tumor in a single, brief, smooth rotation.
SRS, or stereotactic radiosurgery, is a technique that is most commonly used for tumors in the brain or spinal column. Unlike IMRT, SRS is typically delivered in a maximum of 5 sessions. Despite the use of the word “surgery” in its name, it does not involve removing the tumor with a surgical blade. Instead, a focused high-intensity beam of radiation is used to target the tumor.
SBRT, or stereotactic body radiation therapy, is a very similar technique to SRS but is used for targets that are outside the brain and the spine. SBRT is most commonly used for targets in the lung, liver, pancreas and kidney, and is typically delivered in a maximum of 5 sessions.

Internal Radiation Therapy – Brachytherapy

Brachytherapy, which is also called internal radiation therapy, treats cancer by placing radioactive seeds directly into or next to the target area. The technique has proven to be a highly successful treatment option for many cancers of the prostate, cervix, endometrium, breast, skin, bronchus, esophagus, and head/neck, as well as soft-tissue sarcomas and several other types of cancer. There are two common techniques available to the physician when administering Brachytherapy: LDR and HDR.
High Dose Rate (HDR) Brachytherapy
HDR uses higher-strength radioactive sources (compared to LDR) to provide radiation to the target. As opposed to LDR, these sources are only implanted in the body temporarily.
With radiation therapy, serious side effects can occur and are usually caused by damage to normal cells during the course of treatment. Side effects are typically cumulative, which means they can develop over the course of your treatment. They can be minor or severe, and depend on the size and location of the tumor, disease state, your general medical condition, and the treatment technique that is used.
Two of the most common side effects associated with radiotherapy are irritation or damage to the skin near the treatment site, and fatigue. Skin irritation may include dryness, itching, peeling, or blistering. Fatigue, for some patients, may mean feeling slightly worn out, and some patients experience severe exhaustion. Other side effects are usually specific to the type of cancer being treated, such as hair loss or sore throat when the head and neck region is treated, or urinary problems when the lower abdomen is treated. For more details about the side effects of radiation therapy, ask your radiation oncologist to explain what may occur during your particular treatment.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

General FAQs
What is Radiation Therapy?

Radiation Therapy is the branch of medicine that deals with the treatment of cancer by delivering high-energy beams directly to the intended target. Radiation Therapy has two equally important goals: to control the growth of the tumor and to do so while minimizing exposure to the surrounding normal, healthy tissue. Radiation Therapy is broadly divided into external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), where radiation is delivered to the target from an external machine, and brachytherapy, where radiation is delivered by placing the radiation source inside the body near the intended target. Both techniques are used for treating a large variety of tumor types.
Radiation Therapy is a common form of treatment for cancer today. According to the American Society of Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), two out of three cancer patients will receive radiation therapy—either alone or in combination with other treatment approaches, such as surgery and chemotherapy. Each case is unique and your physician is the best person to decide on the suitability of radiation therapy for your treatment.
How Does Radiation Therapy Work?

External beam radiation therapy, or EBRT, is a treatment option that delivers radiation to the target site from an external machine, typically called a linear accelerator, or linac. The linac generates high-energy radiation focused precisely on the tumor and delivered from many different angles to target each part of the tumor and deliver the prescribed amount of radiation. Radiation kills cancer cells by damaging their DNA, which interrupts their ability to reproduce. Normal cells can recover from radiation more easily.
When designing your treatment plan, your medical team relies on one or more types of 3-D scans of your body. These can include a CT scan, an MRI and/or a PET scan. By looking at these scans and other test results, the radiation oncologist and his or her team determines which EBRT technique is best suited for your particular case.
What is the treatment advantage of Novalis Tx radiosurgery over other radiosurgery systems?


Other radiosurgery systems use circular beams of radiation to treat tumors and lesions. Most tumors or lesions are irregular in shape so the circular dose cannot completely conform to their exact shape. Novalis Tx radiosurgery shapes the radiation beam precisely to your tumor or lesion, ensuring that the best possible treatment dose is delivered while your healthy tissue is protected. The radiation beam also adapts to your breathing and other body movements to continuously maintain safe, complete and accurate treatment.
Undergoing treatment for a tumor or lesion can be challenging, that’s why Novalis Tx radiosurgery is treatment designed with you in mind. Treatments are fast, lasting only minutes, and you wear a frameless custom-fit mask rather than an invasive head ring.
Will there be any side effects?

Your doctor will discuss potential side effects with you depending on your overall treatment plan. Novalis Tx radiosurgery treatment is not painful in most cases and does not require anesthesia. Typically, there is no scarring or disfigurement and little risk of infection, compared to conventional surgery.While side effects are minimized, you may experience a headache, dizziness and fatigue immediately following treatment.
What affect can radiation have on my tumor or lesion?

Radiosurgery and radiotherapy use high-energy treatment beams to deliver the prescribed dose directly to your tumor cells, causing them to die. Treatment results, visible on follow-up scans, may include shrinkage of your tumor or no further tumor growth. Because cell destruction and absorption of those cells within your system can be a lengthy process, it may take up to six months before your doctor can determine the effect of treatment.
What is the difference between stereotactic radiosurgery and fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy?

Stereotactic radiosurgery and fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy refer to two treatment delivery methods. Stereotactic radiosurgery delivers a high dose of treatment to the tumor or lesion in a single session. Fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy delivers a series of treatments to the tumor or lesion over a period of time.While both methods typically involve a similar total dose, fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy delivers treatment in smaller amounts. Novalis Tx radiosurgery offers both stereotactic radiosurgery and fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy treatments. Your doctor will recommend the best treatment method for you based on your individual case.
What types of conditions can be treated with Novalis Tx radiosurgery?

Novalis Tx radiosurgery treats non-cancerous and cancerous conditions including:
Acoustic neuromas
Arteriovenous malformations (AVM)
Brain metastases/gliomas
Cavernous angiomas
Craniopharyngiomas
Liver tumors/metastases
Lung tumors/metastases
Meningiomas of the skull base
Pituitary adenomas
Prostate cancer/metastases
Recurrent brain tumors
Spine tumors/metastases
Trigeminal neuralgia
How does radiosurgery work?

Radiosurgery consists of a high-tech radiation delivery system powered by innovative, sophisticated image-guidance and motion management tools. This state-of-the-art system rotates around you, from many different angles, delivering the cancer-fighting shaped treatment beams where they’re needed. The image-guidance and motion management tools provide your doctors with detailed information about the shape, size and position of your tumor, they also guide setup and positioning, and monitor your body and tumor motion during treatment.
Why is fast treatment important?

Fast treatment is more comfortable and reduces the likelihood of body or tumor movements, increasing overall accuracy. In addition to offering one of the fastest treatment times, Novalis Tx radiosurgery continuously tracks your body and tumor motion and automatically adjusts the beam of radiation, maintaining the highest possible level of treatment accuracy.