HYGEIA: Participation at the International Stereotactic Radiosurgery Society Congress (ISRS 2019) in Rio de Janeiro

30 September 2019

HYGEIA Group participated at the International Stereotactic Radiosurgery Society Congress (ISRS 2019), which was hosted in Rio de Janeiro. The Group was represented by Mr Christos Skarleas and Mr Giorgos Kritselis, radiation oncologists at the HYGEIA Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, and Mr Pantelis Karaiskos, radiophysicist at the Medical Physics Department.

The three presentations by the HYGEIA Hospital Radiation Oncology Center attracted much interest during the Congress.

Radiation oncologists Giorgos Kritselis, in partnership with the Medical Physics Department (Giorgos Kollias, Chrysa Paraskevopoulou, Efi Koutsouveli, Pantelis Karaiskos and Nikolas Giakoumakis), presented innovative stereotactic body radiation therapies (SBRT) in Greece, on patients with inoperable pancreatic cancer and early-stage prostate cancer. Attendees showed keen interest in the cases involving patients with locally advanced, inoperable pancreatic cancer who underwent SBRT in just 5 sessions (within 2 weeks), with very promising results in terms of increasing the local control of the disease. It is also quite important that this technique can render the tumor surgically excisable. The treatment is well tolerated by patients, with low gastrointestinal toxicity, reduces the time between additional treatment options (chemotherapy, immunotherapy, surgery) and offers good quality of life.

The second presentation focused on analyzing the application of stereotactic radiotherapy on patients with early-stage prostate cancer – 5 sessions within 2 weeks – compared to conventional radiotherapy, which lasts 7-8 weeks. The technique did not present significant toxicity in the gastrointestinal system or urinary tract, had very good local control, with a drop in the PSA value to normal levels after treatment and low toxicity, while the patients enjoyed very good quality of life.

 Medical Physics Professor Pantelis Karaiskos, representing the Medical Physics Department, presented cases involving Rtsafe technology used on patients with brain, head and neck tumors, for personalized verification of treatment plans. This technology provides the option of creating a 3D replica of the patient (PseudoPatient), accurately depicting the anatomy of the patients and allowing the doctors to verify the radiation dose before the actual delivery, minimizing potential toxicity risks, and offering safety and the best treatment result.

The HYGEIA Hospital Radiation Oncology Center and Medical Physics Department are the most modern and best equipped centers in Greece and among the best in Europe. They are European Reference Centers for ELEKTA and are among the five centers in Europe working with the company’s Research & Development Department to develop and review new treatment planning systems.