Carle Cancer Center to Offer Most Advanced Treatment in the Region

Carle Cancer Center to Offer Most Advanced Treatment Option in the Region

July 9, 2007

URBANA-Carle Cancer Center will be the first in central Illinois to offer advanced radiation therapy treatment called TomoTherapy.

TomoTherapy is one of the most advanced treatment delivery systems currently on the market. The equipment looks like a CT scanner because it is, but it also uses a ring gantry to deliver thousands of radiation treatment beams in a 360 degree radius around the patient.

"TomoTherapy is a revolutionary way to treat cancer with radiation," says Ron Sapiente, MD, head of Radiation Oncology at Carle Clinic. "With the on-board CT scanner, we will use the same equipment to both image the tumor, and treat it. The technology will allow us to deliver seamless treatment to our patients."

Outside Urbana, the closest TomoTherapy units are at major academic centers in St. Louis and Chicago. The TomoTherapy unit will be installed in the new Carle Cancer Center building, set to open Spring 2008.

Carle Clinic Associates approved the purchase of TomoTherapy, as well as a linear accelerator and large bore MRI, at a recent meeting.

Carle Clinic Association and Carle Foundation Hospital are separate business corporations that work together to provide quality care and services to their patients.

Carle Clinic Association and Carle Foundation Hospital contract with insurance providers separately and may or may not choose to participate in all of the same insurance plans. Patients are urged to check with their insurance carriers as to whether services are covered for either or both organizations.