The state-of-the-art treatment – stereotactic radiosurgery – allows patients to go home the same day, a vast improvement from the previous type of treatment that required 5 to 10 days in the hospital
NYC Health + Hospitals announced that NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst has successfully treated their first patient using a non-invasive, highly precise radiation approach called stereotactic radiosurgery, a first for the health care system. The patient had two brain metastases, or cancers that have spread to the brain, and was treated in June. The treatment uses precise, advanced imaging and radiation beams to target the cancer while minimizing exposure to surrounding healthy tissue, allowing patients to go home the same day with few side effects. Previously, patients would have received whole brain radiotherapy, which treats the entire brain and requires daily treatments for 5 to 10 days. Additionally, the new treatment uses a “frameless” non-invasive device to more comfortably keep the patient’s head in the correct position without using an invasive metal frame. The care team used Elmhurst Hospital’s new TrueBeam linear accelerator, funded by former Queens Borough President Sharon Lee to perform the treatment. Stereotactic radiosurgery is commonly used to treat benign brain tumors, brain metastases, vascular malformations, and trigeminal neuralgia (a nerve pain condition).
“We are thrilled to have treated one of our patients with stereotactic radiosurgery, the most advanced treatment available for brain metastases,” said NYC Health + Hospitals System Chief of Radiation Oncology Sewit Teckie, MD. “Our patient did great with the treatment! The entire department, including the physicians, nurses, radiation therapists, and physicists, worked exceptionally well together to bring this new technology to Elmhurst. I am so proud of the teamwork that went into this treatment. The Elmhurst team is eager to continue offering stereotactic radiosurgery to patients with cancer and other conditions.”
“I am very happy that we have been able to offer stereotactic radiosurgery and other state-of-the-art treatments for cancer at a public hospital in a historically underserved community,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst CEO Dr. Helen Arteaga-Landaverde. “I want to thank our healthcare team for utilizing this fantastic new technology to provide exceptional patient care and advance our health equity goals. We look forward to providing these services to even more critically ill patients in the future.”
NYC Health + Hospitals offers comprehensive cancer care across its 11 hospitals for a wide range of cancers. Services include screenings, specialized surgery, chemotherapy, support groups, and a chance to join clinical trials.
