Novalis Tx

Novalis Tx

As one of the most advanced cancer treatment options available, Novalis Tx™ radiosurgery & radiotherapy is changing the face of cancer treatment, and has already helped thousands of people continue to go to work, spend time with family and friends, take part in their favourite activities, while fighting cancer. It has several advantages, they are :

Precise

• Shapes the radiation beam to match the exact contour of the tumor or lesion, ensuring the maximum prescribed dose of high-energy radiation is delivered to the entire tumor.
• Protects surrounding healthy tissue.
• Adapts the treatment beam to breathing and other body movements to continuously maintain safe, complete and accurate dose delivery.

Fast

• Non-invasive, outpatient procedure lasts for just 15 to 20 minutes, rather than hours, for a more comfortable and less restricted treatment experience than other radiosurgery devices.
• Reduces the likelihood of patient or tumor movements, ensuring the highest possible level of treatment accuracy.
• Treatment can take place in a single day, although your doctor will decide if your treatment should be administered in a single dose or in a series of doses.

Versatile

• Employs a wide range of treatment modalities, ensuring you receive the best treatment for your individual case. Other radiosurgery devices are limited to only one treatment modality.
• Delivers the industry’s highest dose rate, penetrating deeper to treat tumors previously considered untreatable.
• Offers hope to patients with clinical conditions once considered untreatable and those for whom surgery is not an option.
• Frameless radiosurgery offers a more patient-friendly alternative to other radiosurgery devices that require immobilization with a head ring that attaches to the skull.

Frequently Asked Questions

What types of conditions can be treated with Novalis Tx™ Radiosurgery?

Novalis Tx™ Radiosurgery can treat non-cancerous and cancerous conditions of the entire body such as:

• Arteriovenous malformations (AVM)
• Cavernous angiomas
• Trigeminal neuralgia
• Intractable seizures
• Parkinson’s disease
• Brain metastases and Gliomas
• Acoustic neuromas
• Pediatric brain tumors
• Recurrent brain tumors
• Pituitary adenomas
• Meningiomas of the skull base
• Craniopharyngiomas
• Spine Tumors Metastases
• Prostate Cancer Metastases
• Liver Tumors Metastases
• Lung Tumors Metastases

How does Novalis Tx™ Radiosurgery work ?

Novalis Tx™ Radiosurgery incorporates a powerful linear accelerator, which rotates around the patient to deliver treatment beams anywhere in the body from virtually any angle. A set of sophisticated image-guidance and motion management tools provide clinicians with detailed information about the shape, size and position of the targeted lesion, guide patient setup and positioning and monitors motion during treatment.

Why is fast treatment important ?

Prolonged treatment times can affect patient comfort and treatment accuracy. Fast treatment reduces the likelihood of patient or tumor movements, which can impact overall accuracy. In addition to offering one of the industry’s fastest treatment times, Novalis Tx™ Radiosurgery continuously tracks patient and tumor motion and automatically adjusts the beam of radiation to maintain the highest possible level of treatment accuracy.

What is the treatment advantage of Novalis Tx™ Radiosurgery over other radiosurgery devices?

Other radiosurgery devices utilize circular beams to treat. As most lesions are irregular in shape, a circular dose does not completely cover the exact shape of the tumor. Novalis Tx™ Radiosurgery shapes the radiation beam to contour to the exact shape of your tumor or lesion, ensuring the optimal treatment dose is delivered and protecting healthy tissue. The targeted beam adapts to your breathing and other body movements to continuously maintain safe, complete and accurate dosage.

Will there be any side effects ?

Your doctor will discuss potential side effects with you depending on your overall treatment plan. Novalis Tx™ Radiosurgery treatment is not painful in most cases and does not require anesthesia. There is no scarring or disfigurement, there is little risk of infection compared to conventional surgery.

You may experience a headache, dizziness and fatigue immediately following treatment, so driving is not recommended. Make sure to arrange for transportation home.

What effect can radiation have on my tumor or lesion ?

Radiosurgery and radiotherapy use high-energy radiation beams to deliver the prescribed radiation dose directly to tumor cells, causing them to die. Treatment results, visible on follow-up scans, may include shrinkage of the tumor or no further tumor growth because, cell destruction and absorption of the cells within your system can be a lengthy process, it can take up to six months before the effect of treatment can be determined by your doctor.

What is the difference between stereotactic radiosurgery and fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy ?

Stereotactic radiosurgery and fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy refers to two radiation treatment delivery methods. Stereotactic radiosurgery delivers a high dose of radiation treatment to the tumor in a single session. Fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy delivers a series of radiation treatments to the tumor over a period of time.

While both methods typically involve a similar total dose of radiation, fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy delivers radiation in smaller amounts. Novalis Tx™ Radiosurgery offers both stereotactic radiosurgery and fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy treatments. Your doctor will recommend the best treatment method for you based on your individual case.

Terms to Know

Radiotherapy: The use of high-energy radiation from x-rays, gamma rays, neutrons and other sources to treat tumors and destroy cancer cells.

Radiosurgery: A radiation therapy procedure that delivers a large dose of radiation to a tumor over one to five treatment sessions.

Stereotactic Radiosurgery: Radiation treatment of a tumor that is applied in a single session with a high dose of radiation.

Fractionated Stereotactic Radiotherapy: A series of radiation treatments over a period of time.

Image-Guided Radiosurgery (IGRS): Radiation treatment that uses real-time x-ray and CT imaging to deliver precisely focused high-energy radiation to a tumor.

Novalis Tx™ Radiosurgery-giving new hope to patients with tumors once considered untreatable is available now at Apollo Healthcity, Hyderabad, Apollo Gleneagles Cancer Hospital, Kolkata and Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, Delhi.