Mrs Ingrid Williams, a travel industry professional who recently completed her treatment for breast cancer at Netcare N1 City Hospital’s radiation unit, is celebrating life by learning to ride a motorbike.
“When I was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer, my husband took me out riding on his Harley Davidson to help take my mind off the stress. When God gives you a second chance, you have to make the most of it, and one of the goals on my bucket list has been to get my motorbike license so we can go riding together,” says Mrs Williams, who lives in Kensington.
Dr John Sauer, a radiation oncologist practising at the hospital, is a member of the multidisciplinary team treating Mrs Williams at the dedicated oncology centre at Netcare N1 City Hospital, which has been providing radiotherapy to patients in the Western Cape since 2009.
“Mrs Williams was one of the first patients in the Western Cape to be treated using the first marker-less Align RT advanced system in the province for a specialised course of radiotherapy following surgery to remove the tumour in her left breast,” he says.
| Triumphing over adversity, Ingrid Williams celebrates her victory over breast cancer by learning to ride a motorbike, with her supportive husband Michael by her side. |
| Mrs Ingrid Williams, a travel industry professional from Kensington in the Cape who recently completed her treatment for breast cancer at Netcare N1 City Hospital’s radiation unit, is celebrating life by learning to ride a motorbike. |
“Using the new Surface Guided Radiation Therapy (SGRT) system, the treatment intends to eliminate any cancer cells that may remain around the surgical site, and this requires great precision as it is so near her heart,” Dr Sauer says.
Mrs Williams, a mother of two, says that she was pleasantly surprised that her treatment sessions last only five to ten minutes, so she can schedule them during her lunch break from work.
Dr Sauer says the system is particularly well-suited for delivering Deep Inspiration Breath Hold (DIBH) treatment for breast cancer with submillimetre positional accuracy.
“In treatment for left breast cancer, the DIBH technique requires patients to breathe in deeply and hold their breath for a few seconds, guided by the radiation therapists, so that the heart moves away from the treatment area to ensure minimal radiation exposure,” he explains.
“The treatment team is so friendly. They explained exactly how to do the breathing technique without arching my back,” Mrs Williams says. “When I breathe in, I can see on the indicator screen when I am in exactly the right position. Only then does the beam of radiation start and I hold my breath like that for 30 seconds, which isn’t hard as it goes by so quickly, and then the radiotherapists tell me over a speaker when I can relax and breathe normally again.”
Dr Sauer explains that three cameras continuously monitor the position of thousands of points on the skin surface to identify where the heart is in relation to the treatment area in three dimensions and detect any tiny motion as the patient holds their breath and the radiation dose is delivered.
“If the person moves during radiation therapy, the system automatically cuts off the radiation beam to pause treatment to prevent accidental exposure. During the entire treatment delivery procedure, the system ensures accuracy within a millimetre to make sure the radiation is kept away from healthy tissue and nearby critical structures.
“We are pleased with the progress Mrs Williams is making, and will continue to regularly monitor her once the course of radiation is complete,” Dr Sauer says.
Marilyn Lameyer, Netcare N1 City Hospital’s regional radiation therapy manager, says that a significant amount of time in radiation therapy sessions is usually dedicated to positioning the patient for the prescribed dose of radiation to be administered.
“The convenience of this technology dramatically reduces setup and manages motion during treatment sessions, which leads to an approximately 22% reduction in setup and treatment time, while pinpointing the areas prescribed in the radiation treatment plan in real time.
“The new system also eliminates the use of excessive daily X-ray imaging to verify skin marks, so people can spend less time on the treatment bed. Another benefit of the new system is that it is a completely non-invasive, contactless technology,” she says.
Lameyer adds that another advantage of the new marker-less system is that medical tattoos are not required to provide the reference points for treatment and treatments that previously required an enclosed mask can now be administered with an open face mask for greater patient comfort.”
The state-of-the-art system is also geared to improve treatment times for other advanced radiation therapies offered at Netcare N1 City Hospital’s radiation therapy unit, including stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), in which radiation is delivered from various angles to focus a high dose on a targeted lesion.
“The services of our holistic multidisciplinary cancer care team are always centred around the individual needs and circumstances of the person requiring treatment, supporting them and their families throughout each unique cancer journey,” Lameyer says.
Mrs Williams says she appreciates that the team values and respects her time. They provided her with a treatment calendar and made every effort to ensure there were no unnecessary delays.
“I would like to thank Dr Sauer and the Netcare N1 City Cancer Care team for being so comforting and on board with my journey, from the time of my diagnosis through my surgery, which included breast reduction and radiation. This experience has made me reflect that we only die once, but every day is an opportunity to live,” Mrs Williams concludes.
Ends
Notes to editor
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