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Talking to Your Doctor

Ask your doctor if Radixact® is right for you

Thanks to rapid advances in treatment technologies, you have more options than ever for effectively treating your cancer. The first step in understanding your options is to talk to your doctor. To help you get that conversation started, we’ve put together a few questions to ask.

Questions to ask your doctor

  • What are my treatment options?
  • Which treatment option would best preserve my quality of life?
  • Will treatment affect my daily activities?
  • What is my recommended treatment option — and why?
  • Will I need to have a colostomy?
  • Am I a candidate for Radixact treatment with TomoTherapy technology?
  • What is the treatment process for the treatment option you recommend and how long will it take?
  • Do I need to change what I eat during treatment?
  • What results should I expect?
  • What are the side effects and risks of the procedure; and which side effects are short-term, and which ones may be long-term?
  • How are these side effects managed and can they be prevented?
  • What will my options be if the cancer comes back?
  • How soon after treatment can I return to my normal activities, such as work, exercise, or sex?

Additional information & resources

The Radixact System with TomoTherapy technology is one of the most integrated, advanced systems for comprehensive cancer treatment available today. The Radixact System enables precise delivery of IG-IMRT, an advanced type of IMRT, for the treatment of anal cancer. Listed below are key studies and other resources to support your discussion of Radixact with your doctor.

  • Studies found patients with anal cancer who received IG-IMRT with a simultaneous radiation boost, using helical TomoTherapy, experienced low treatment-related acute or late toxicities and good local cancer control while also providing a more efficient and convenient treatment option for patients. This radiation treatment approach, with or without chemotherapy, enabled clinicians to reduce the margins around the tumor receiving radiation, resulting in a significant reduction in certain toxicity rates without impacting treatment outcomes1,2 .
  • An analysis involving patients with anal cancer found that treatment with IMRT and simultaneous integrated boost radiation resulted in excellent long-term outcomes and with side effects that were well-tolerated by patients3 .
  • A comparison of patients receiving IMRT or 3D conformal radiation therapy in combination with chemotherapy showed that IMRT as part of the treatment protocol resulted in significantly less incontinence, pain and fatigue, as well as significantly fewer chronic post-treatment toxicities, compared to 3D conformal therapy 4.

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1 Joseph K., Nijjar Y., Warkentin H. et al. Prospective phase II study of tomotherapy based chemoradiation treatment for locally advanced anal cancer. Radiother Oncol. 2015 Nov;117(2):234-9.

2 De Bari B., Jumeau R., Bouchaab H. et al. Efficacy and safety of helical tomotherapy

with daily image guidance in anal canal cancer patients, Acta Oncologica, 55:6, 767-773.

3 Mitra D., Hong T.S., Horick N. et al. Long-term outcomes and toxicities of a large cohort of anal cancer patients treated with dose-painted IMRT per RTOG 0529. Advances in radiation oncology. 2017;2(2):110–117.

4 Fredman E.T., Abdel-Wahab M., Kumar AMS. Influence of radiation treatment technique on outcome and toxicity in anal cancer. J Radiat Oncol. 2017;6(4):413-421.

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Educating others about your experience with the Radixact® or TomoTherapy® System can help others who face similar decisions about their own cancer treatment choices.

If you are interested in sharing your story, please fill out the form below and an Accuray representative will contact you.

Please note: Accuray is the manufacturer of the CyberKnife®, TomoTherapy®, and Radixact® Systems. As the manufacturer, we are unable to provide specific medical advice, view medical records, or schedule appointments.
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Important Safety Statement: Most side effects of radiotherapy, including radiotherapy delivered with Accuray systems, are mild and temporary, often involving fatigue, nausea, and skin irritation. Side effects can be severe, however, leading to pain, alterations in normal body functions (for example, urinary or salivary function), deterioration of quality of life, permanent injury and even death. Side effects can occur during or shortly after radiation treatment or in the months and years following radiation. The nature and severity of side effects depend on many factors, including the size and location of the treated tumor, the treatment technique (for example, the radiation dose), the patient’s general medical condition, to name a few. For more details about the side effects of your radiation therapy, and if treatment with an Accuray product is right for you, ask your doctor.