ETHOS Therapy
What is Ethos™ therapy?
Ethos therapy is the newest cancer treatment system from Varian Medical Systems, designed to provide personalized cancer care quickly, safely, accurately, and comfortably.
Its advanced, state-of-the-art technologies provide us with the ability to manage and adapt your radiotherapy treatment each day to better target the tumor.
Ethos therapy is strengthening the Michael and Dianne Bienes Cancer Center’s ability to help you beat cancer, and we’re proud to offer this world-class cancer treatment to patients in our care.
How does Ethos™ therapy work?
As you go through treatment, your anatomy can change; tumors can shrink; and healthy tissue and organs can move and shift in relation to your tumor’s location. Using advanced technologies, Ethos therapy identifies these changes and allows us to make adjustments to your plan during treatment—typically within a 15-minute timeslot from start to finish.
The key to this highly personalized treatment lies in the ability to leverage many different images taken by your care team in order to make more informed treatment decisions. These varied, high-quality images provide a comprehensive and current view of your anatomy, enabling us to adjust your treatment plan to better target the cancer.
Why Ethos™ therapy?
Ethos therapy is the innovative cancer-fighting solution that truly puts you at the center of our care. The Bienes Cancer Center’s oncology teams have the advanced capabilities to constantly evaluate and adapt your treatment plan based on how you respond to treatment and how your body changes throughout your course of care.
Ethos therapy’s ability to adapt and personalize your treatment in real time allows us to quickly make decisions based on each patient’s needs. In fact, what used to take two to three days, now can be accomplished in a typical 15-minute timeframe, from patient setup all the way through treatment delivery.
What can I expect during treatment?
Although your treatment process may vary, the following should give you a general idea of what to expect:
Tumor visualization
Imaging is important in order to visualize the tumor, the surrounding organs, and your anatomy. High-quality, detailed images help us determine the exact size, shape, and location of the tumor in your body and accurately target it. The information gleaned from the images helps us determine the appropriate dose of radiation and how to deliver it most effectively.
Treatment planning
Each treatment plan is personalized to your specific needs and specifies the amount of radiation the cancer cells should receive and from which angles. A schedule for treatment will also be developed during this phase.
Treatment delivery
When it’s time for treatment, your radiation therapist will help position you on the treatment table and make sure you’re comfortable. Just prior to treatment, images will be taken to allow your care team to verify the tumor’s exact size and location. Your treatment will begin once any relevant adjustments are made to your treatment plan.
The radiation is delivered by a machine called a linear accelerator (linac), which rotates around you as it projects the beam. With Ethos™ therapy, the rotating beam gantry is enclosed within the opening (the bore) so you won’t see anything rotating around you.
You will be in constant contact with your therapist through the integrated camera system and two-way intercom. Although the first treatment can take a bit longer due to additional setup, the entire process should take only a few minutes.
Follow-up care
After your treatment, you’ll see your doctor for follow-up care. During this time, he or she will monitor your progress. Take this opportunity to ask your doctor any questions about your treatments, the status of your health, and any side effects you may be experiencing.
Advantages of Ethos™ therapy
- NONINVASIVE. Ethos therapy is designed to deliver precise noninvasive treatment that requires no incisions or surgery and no post-surgery recovery period.
- FAST. With Ethos therapy, we can deliver highly accurate treatments in a typical 15-minute time slot from start to finish. Shorter treatment time means you can get back to your daily routine sooner.
- PERSONALIZED. Enabled by its extensive planning and precise contouring capabilities, Ethos therapy can map out the anatomy, target the location of the tumor, and optimize treatment plans in real time. This advanced capability allows us to make decisions based on your specific needs while you are on the treatment couch.
- COMFORTABLE. With its wide bore, quiet motors, and integrated camera and intercom system, Ethos therapy is designed to provide a positive experience in a reassuring and safe environment.
- SAFE. Ethos therapy’s patient-friendly design features a comprehensive safety system to ensure that you’re comfortable, confident and at ease during every stage of your treatment.
We’re here for you.
Every patient deserves access to the latest, high-quality, personalized cancer care available. At the Bienes Cancer Center, we believe that adaptive therapy is the future of highly personalized radiation therapy and we are excited and proud to be one of the first centers to begin delivering this advanced form of cancer treatment to patients in our care.
For more information about Ethos™ therapy, visit www.varian.com/ethos or call the Cancer Center at 954-542-5764.
Radiation therapy may cause side effects that can vary depending on the part of the body being treated. The most frequent ones are typically temporary and may include but are not limited to irritation to the respiratory, digestive, urinary, or reproductive systems; fatigue; nausea; skin irritation; and hair loss. In some patients, the side effects can be severe. Treatment sessions may vary in complexity and time. Radiation therapy is not appropriate for all cancers. Patients should discuss the treatment and side effects with their physicians before starting treatment. Individual treatment results may vary. As a medical device manufacturer, Varian cannot and does not recommend specific treatment approaches. Medical providers retain the authority to direct all medical decisions regarding the care and treatment of patients.
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