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GPS-like Technology Used To Treat Prostate June 06, 2007 A moving prostate during radiation treatment can mean missing
the tumor and hitting healthy tissue. But new technology pinpoints the position and motion of the prostate with GPS precision.
Just like a GPS system tracks where you drive, the new Calypso system tracks the prostate in real time. That keeps radiation
away from vital organs like the colon, rectum and bladder. That prevents side effects like bleeding and incontinence. That
means the world to Robert Heinkel. "Really happy to know that a new development in medical
technology had occurred that would save me from being retired and maybe 15 to 20 years of life left spending it wearing
diapers," said Robert. First, three tiny electro-magnetic sensors are implanted in the prostate. During radiation treatment,
the system tracks the sensors 60 times a second. If the prostate moves, the machine alerts technicians to turn it off until
it is back in place. So radiation beams focus on the target. "By treating less tissue, we can give a higher dose of
radiation and a higher dose of radiation in every single study that's looked at this has resulted in better cure rates,"
said Dr. John Sylvester. "It gave me a peace of mind that you can't believe," said Robert. Right now the FDA
has only approved the Calypso system for treating prostate cancer. In the future, the hope is to use it for cancers in other
moving organs like the lungs. Source: wftv.com
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