Radiance, a groundbreaking system for optimizing intraoperative radiation therapy in breast cancer

GMV, together with the radiophysics team of Clínica La Luz in Madrid and experts from the Politécnica and Complutense universities in Madrid, has developed a groundbreaking system for virtual pre-surgery calculation of the radiation dose to be applied in intraoperative therapy of breast cancer and other types of tumor.

This new software, called Monte Carlo, forms part of the virtual simulator radiance. This planner, unique in the world, forecasts beforehand the effects of intraoperative radiation therapy on the tissues, marking the precise zone to be irradiated and avoiding any damage to the surrounding healthy tissue.

After three years of work this new software was presented in Baveno (Italy) during the seventh congress of the International Society of Intraoperative Radiation Therapy (ISIORT), event that took place from 22 to 24 of June.

La Luz is the first Spanish clinic to take up this new development of radiance. At the moment its is being applied experimentally, but the radiophysics team of the clinic in Madrid, made up by doctors Elisa Lavado, Miguel Ángel Infante and Juan Agustín Calama, expects to be able to use it on a routine basis against breast cancer by the end of the year.

Monte Carlo is a new calculation algorithm that “endows radiance with much greater precision in determining the radiation dose” of the radiotherapy, as explained by Doctor Juan Agustín Calama. He goes on to say that the calculated radiotherapy dose “is much closer to the one actually applied in the real world”. This obviously entails many advantages for the patient.

radiance™ has been developed by GMV in collaboration with a research team led by the Hospital Universitario Gregorio Marañón and a set of prestigious Spanish hospitals and universities.