[Wellness] New Radiation treatment

["Karen Patterson" <Patterson@womens-wellness.com>]

Investor's Business Daily reports that Varian Medical Systems has developed
a new radiation delivery system called the multileaf collimator. Instead of
zapping the whole tumor area, hitting good cells around the diseased area
the multileaf collimator sends out a ray that's the size and shape of the
tumor.  And it can trap tumors in a cross fire.  When it zaps the bad cells,
it leaves the surrounding good cells undamaged.  Peter Benesh reports
"Focusing on the size and shape of the tumor lets more radiation be used.
That allows for shorter treatment times, say 15 minutes instead of 30 for
each session."

Another new device, called Trilogy, lets a hospital buy just one system to
do all types of procedures.  The article points out that expensive
treatments in early cancer stages are very important because for each failed
attempt to cure the cancer patient much more is spent in health costs
treating that cancer later on.  This is a great point.  Health insurance
companies need to become aware that paying for preventative medical costs
ultimately save a great deal of money in health needs later on. The best
treatment needs to be used early on no matter how expensive it is.

Hope you all totally enjoyed your Leap Day.  I did.  Best of wellness,
Karen Patterson, Founder of Womens-Wellness.com and a breast cancer survivor



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