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Trinity Mother Frances and Texas Oncology-Tyler are among of the firstfacilities in the United States to acquire the technology, the Novalis Tx(TM)stereotactic radiosurgery system. Novalis Tx is a powerful radiosurgery andradiotherapy system that penetrates deeper -- and faster -- into the body totreat tumors considered inoperable. The system's platform also allows forintricately customized settings that enable treatments to be highly targetedand accurate. The technology is brought to Tyler as a joint venture betweenTrinity Mother Frances and US Oncology. Texas Oncology is part of the USOncology network, which provided Texas Oncology-Tyler with themultimillion-dollar capital investment in the Novalis Tx equipment. Theagreement with Trinity Mother Frances allows the hospital's neurosurgeon towork hand in hand with radiation oncologists from Texas Oncology.
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"This technology is some of the best of its kind available in the worldtoday," said Sabatino Bianco, MD, Trinity Mother Frances NeuroscienceInstitute Director and Chief of Neurosurgery. "The commitment Trinity MotherFrances has made by partnering with Texas Oncology-Tyler to buy this equipmentis another example of the organization's ongoing effort to provide the bestpatient care possible."
Dr. Mark Saunders, a radiation oncologist with Texas Oncology-Tyler, saidthe system has been installed and patients began to receive treatments usingthe new technology on July 10. "We're thrilled that we will be among the firstin the nation to offer our patients this improved technology," said Saunders."It allows us to deliver highly accurate radiation to both malignant andbenign tumors as well as treat functional disorders. This technology is sopowerful that it can deliver the appropriate dose faster than mostconventional systems allowing for more ease and convenience to the patient."
Cancers that will be treated by the system include those within the head;neck and brain; pancreas; liver; prostate; and lungs. Because the system is soaccurate, nearby healthy tissue is protected from damaging radiation so largerdoses of radiation can be delivered to the targeted tumor with each treatment.
The Novalis Tx offers physicians more flexibility in utilizing framed orframeless treatments as well as offering both cone-based and multi-leaftechnology. Most patients will find their treatments take significantly lesstime with Novalis Tx than if they were treated using previous-generationtechnology. This translates to the best technology available today. Patientsreceive complete, personalized cancer care at Texas Oncology-Tyler and TrinityMother Frances Neuroscience Institute, which team together to offer today'smost advanced technologies and treatments, as well as a wide range ofsupportive services and programs to address patients' individual educational,psychological, emotional, financial and nutritional needs.
Texas Oncology is the largest independent oncology practice nationwide andprovides care to more Texans with cancer than any other cancer care provider.Through this large oncology network, Texas Oncology brings many benefits toarea cancer patients, including access to nationwide clinical trials ofpromising new therapies and drugs.
About Trinity Mother Frances Neuroscience Institute
The Trinity Mother Frances Neuroscience Institute, part of Trinity MotherFrances Hospitals and Clinics, offers comprehensive services for the diagnosisand treatment of diseases of the central and peripheral nervous systems. Theinstitute couples the latest
