Liver Cancer Treatment: IMRT
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Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy for Liver Cancer
Short for Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy, IMRT is a state-of-the-art radiation delivery system, and one of the treatment options for liver cancer at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA).
IMRT has been called the most significant breakthrough in radiation therapy in the past 30 years. Compared to standard radiation therapy, IMRT can treat difficult-to-reach tumors in the liver with new levels of accuracy, allowing higher radiation doses than traditional methods while sparing more of the surrounding, healthy liver tissue. IMRT may be useful if you have previously received conventional radiation therapy as a liver cancer treatment and are still experiencing recurrent tumors in the treated area.
IMRT differs from conventional radiation therapy for liver cancer in the following ways:
- IMRT employs advanced computer technologies to map and plan a precise dose of radiation to the liver in three dimensions, based on individual tumor size, shape and location.
- IMRT modulates the intensity of pencil-thin beams of radiation, and directions radiation to the tumor in the liver with laser accuracy.
For some patients, IMRT replaces external beam liver cancer treatments. However, in most cases, IMRT is used in conjunction with, or after, another primary form of liver cancer treatment.
If you have already received conventional radiation therapy to treat your liver cancer, you may be considered a candidate for IMRT. This is because the new levels of accuracy provided by IMRT enable even higher doses of treatment to be administered than conventional radiotherapy, even at multiple sites. At CTCA, our radiation oncologists and other physicians will work with you to determine if IMRT may be a viable treatment option for your liver cancer.