ONCOLOGY CENTRE – MARIA SKŁODOWSKA-CURIE MEMORIAL INSTITUTE, BRANCH IN GLIWICE
In Oncology Centre in Gliwice there is fully equipped Cancer Radiosurgery Centre – the only one in Poland. In Radiotheraphy Department opened this year in July, patients from all over the country are subjected to the most modern and extremely precise ablation procedures of tumors.
It wouldn’t be possible without medical equipment which oncological hospital was collecting through the last few years. In diagnostic part Cancer Radiosurgery Centre are high class
CT scanners (dual-energy device, perfectly in reading contrast amplification in tumor) three MRI devices (one 1,5T two 3T with diffusion representation and analysis of contrast amplification) and two of very few available in Poland PET-CT, which allows to detect metabolically active and dangerous malignant tumours. The production of radiopharmaceuticals is takes place in Institute’s cyclotron.
Therapeutic part of Cancer Radiosurgery Centre is equipped of two CyberKnife, which are used for precise removal of cancerous tumors (one of them is the most modern and the only one device like that in country), and accelerators, one EDGE for radiosurgery and 4 modern TrueBeam accelerators. Thanks to all these devices, it is possible to track, control and modify the position of the patient and radiation exposure, so the dose during the surgery is hits only the tumor and doesn’t destroy healthy tissues.
SAFE AND PAINLESS DESTRUCTION OF TUMORS
Cancer Radiosurgery Centre is a place, where patients with different tumors are treated. Radiosurgery treatments here are non invasive, bloodless and painless. Many patients don’t even need these treatments in the hospitalization process and can be treated in ambulatory mode. Also patients, who came to Gliwice from far away, they can stay during treatment
in the hotel next to the hospital.
Thanks to radiosurgery professional from the Centre are able to treat patients with malignant tumors located in every organ. The only limitation is one, the number of tumors and two, their sizes. Radiosurgery is perfect for single 3-4 cm tumors.
This is due to the tolerance of treatment, which is limited by the volume of deposition of high dose in the irritated patient’s organ. For radiosurgery treatment are not qualified patients with leukemia or lymphoma.
– Radiosurgery is a method dedicated to patient with early recognized or not advanced cancer – emphasizes professor Krzysztof Składowki MD Ph.D, director of the Cancer
Radiosurgery Centre.
It doesn’t mean other patients can’t count on help. They are treated with the evidence base medicine (EBM) rule. If the sick patient is in very advanced stage, then the Chemiotheraphy can be completed by single radiosurgery treatments, which will decrease the volume of tumor. This kind of treatment inhibits the development of the disease and makes it easier to control, prolonging life in comfort.
TREATMENTS UNDER THE STRICT CONTROL OF PROFESSIONAL SPECIALISTS AND MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
The qualification for treatment with using radiosurgery techniques is decided by experienced radiooncologist. The basis of qualifications are the current tests results (CT, MRI, positron emission tomography), state of patient;s health and also predicted his or her life time.
Preparations for radiosurgery procedure are for around one or two weeks. In that time, similar to the basic radiotherapy, there is individually excecuted system immobilizing the
part of the patient’s body that need treatment. In this position imaging treatment is performed by CT, MRI or positron emission tomography, and then, based on the images, a phantom is construted. Radiooncologist then identificates and contours the tumor in the phantom, and also determines guidelines of treatment. A medical physicist in turn specifes and calculates all geometric and dosimetric parameters of radiosurgery. The finished plan of treatment is always several times verified by other medical physicists and need radiooncologist acceptance.
– Radiosurgery procedure is performed usually in the same position of immpobilizing the patient – in the same one position the patient was during the imaging treatment in the process of planning. Depend on technique and therapeutic equipment, duration of the procedure is around few to several tens of minutes. Precision of the treatment is continuously verified during the procedure and adjusted to the natural movements
of the patient, such as breathing – explains prof. Krzysztof Składowski.
Radiosurgery is right now the most developing field of radiotherapy of malignant tumors and depends on a single or several, very precise photon radiation, which causes almost 
immediate destruction of cancer cells. It is a method used in the best European centers, also in Oncology Centre in Gliwice.
Professor Krzysztof Składowski MD Ph.D is the specialist of oncological radiotherapy, Head of the I RADIATION AND CLINICAL ONCOLOGY DEPARTMENT in Oncology Centre – Maria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Institute, branch in Gliwice in which he work since 1985, and since 2016 is the director. He manages the hospital empleying 1700 people and apart from treating patients he also conducts scientific research on cancer. Prof. Składowski is one of the most quoted Polish radiooncologist around the world, author of around 250 articles published in prestige science magaiznes. He managed or supervised for more than 40 clinical trials, including international ones. He specializes in head and neck tumors treatment. For many years he is the Silesian consultant in oncological radiotherapy. He is also the author of the book „To defeat cancer together”, published by Social Publishing Institute ZNAK in 2011. In his free time he gladly reads historical books. His wife Hanna is a pharmacist and manages the Laboratory of Preparation Anticancer Drugs in the Institute.
