Radiotherapy: An Advanced Technical Platform

Institut Curie has 12 treatment devices: 7 in Paris, 4 in Saint-Cloud, and 1 in Orsay.

The institute’s modern equipment offers several different types of radiotherapy. The oncological radiotherapists must select the technique that best suits each indication.

• Conformal radiotherapy (intensity-modulated or standard): Offers individualized modification of the beams based on the tumor volume, and limits exposure to health organs. Since the volume to be irradiated is better defined, the dose delivered to the tumor can be increased to improve the effectiveness of the therapy.
• Tomotherapy and volumetric modulated arc therapy are helical and rotational radiotherapy techniques, respectively. During tomotherapy, the rays rotate in a ring around the patient and move forward like a scanner. Volumetric modulated arc therapy involves the device rotating around the patient at the same time as the volume and dose parameters are adapted to the irradiated zone. By targeting the tumor very precisely, both these techniques limit the irradiation of healthy tissue where the tumor volume is irregular and complex.
• Stereotaxis is the convergence of multiple beams or arcs on a small volume. This requires even more precise identification via imaging and results in fewer sessions, since the delivered doses are higher. This technique is used for brain, liver, and lung tumors in particular, but is likely to be used for other indications in the future.
• The cyclotron based at our Orsay site means we can deliver proton therapy. This ultra-precise form of radiotherapy is primarily indicated for the treatment of childhood cancers, uveal melanoma, and several other relatively rare tumors. There are only two proton therapy centers in France, one of which is located at Institut Curie.

copyright: Eric Bouvet / Institut Curie