The Radiotherapy Centre at Clínica São Vicente is made up of a team of physicians and physicists specialized in Radiotherapy and Irradiation Physics, apart from the technical staff trained to safely perform the treatment. Before starting Radiotherapy, the patient will have a consultation to evaluate the characteristics of the disease and the indication of the treatment, for the physician to determine the type of Radiotherapy that shall be used – teletherapy or brachytherapy – and the treatment planning.  
  
The working hours of the Radiotherapy Centre are Monday to Friday from 7am to 6pm.

Brachytherapy

In Brachytherapy, the radioactive material is placed close to the tumour, in a definite or temporary manner without causing harm to the healthy organs or tissues. Clínica São Vicente performs High Dose Rate Brachytherapy, in which the patient receives a large amount of radiation, released by a source implanted only for some recommended minutes that reaches a small and well defined area. It is the most indicated therapy for the treatment of gynaecological tumours and some soft tissue tumours (muscles of the upper and lower body members and skin), or as a complement of the treatment of certain tumours in the oesophagus and rhinopharyngitis, for example..

The cases of prostate cancer, find in Iodine-125 Brachytherapy seeds one of the possible treatments. The Iodine Seeds are small sources of radiation implanted in the prostate, by means of needles introduced in the perineum and directed through ultrasound. The seeds release radiation for a short period of time and then permanently remain in the body, without causing any harm to the organism.

In Beta therapy, the radioactive material used is Strontium 90 that releases a low quantity of energy and is indicated for the treatment of superficial lesions such as Keloids, a raised scar that can appear on the skin due to a cut, surgery or burn, in individuals who are genetically prone. The advantage of the method is that it minimally penetrates the tissue and does not cause side effects. The correct calculation of the dose, made by the physicists, is crucial to not cause pigmentation of the irradiated area. In average, the patient needs six alternating day sessions.

Teletherapy

Teletherapy is the Radiotherapy treatment that uses external beam radiation, in most cases delivered by X-ray equipment. The method used at Clínica São Vicente is Conformational Radiotherapy, in which the treatment planning and simulation are made with the assistance of computerized tomography. Three-dimensional images make it possible to accurately determine the volume of the tumour to be irradiated and the doses that need to be applied in order to have the radiation reach the site where the tumour is concentrated and the neighbouring areas (as a safety margin), with the same accuracy and intensity every session. Technology is a must to reduce the irradiated area and thus the side effects.

The planning is then tested, simulating the sessions, in order to verify the efficiency of the established plan. During the session, that lasts few minutes, the patient is monitored through closed-circuit TV cameras and has an intercom to communicate with the person who is conducting the exam.

Evaluation and follow-up

In most cases, the Radiotherapy treatment lasts approximately six weeks, with daily sessions on weekdays. The first session is monitored by a physician. In the others, a specialized technician performs the treatment, but the physician is always available to clarify any doubts. Weekly, the patient is evaluated to detect any significant side effects, if any medication is needed and if the dose given must be maintained or altered.

A psychologist and a dietician are also on the team and the patient can request their assistance. The physicians, whenever necessary, interact with the patient’s surgeon or oncologist, in order to discuss the case and to adopt the best possible therapeutic behaviour.