Hampton University News December 14, 2015 HUPTI's New PBS Technology Helps Fight Cancer In Hampton Roads It is troubling to know that one out of every three Virginians will develop some form of cancer during his or her lifetime, more troubling still, African Americans are more likely to develop and die from cancer than any other racial or ethnic population (according to the CDC and The American Cancer Society). The silver lining to these saddening facts however, can be seen just down the road at the Hampton University Proton Therapy Institute (HUPTI) with its installation of the most precise cancer treatment available, now sharper than ever, thanks to the addition of Pencil Beam Scanning (PBS) also known as "spot scanning." At HUPTI, proton therapy treatments are nonsurgical, noninvasive and usually result in minimal side effects when combined and delivered using Pencil Beam Scanning technology. The resulting treatment provides an even higher degree of precision, further minimizing the overall radiation exposure to healthy tissue. "We've been working on new advancements for the past several years," said Dr. Tyvin Rich, HUPTI Radiation Oncologist. "Pencil Beam Scanning is a very elegant, conformal treatment that features improvements in the delivery of proton therapy." PBS was used for the first time in 2008 at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston. Dr. Allen Thornton, a HUPTI Radiation Oncologist specializing in head, neck and brain tumors, served thousands of patients during his previous appointment with MGH and is in enthusiastic support of implementing PBS technology at HUPTI. "We look forward to increasingly adopt this technology (PBS) in the treatment of our specialized patients for brain, head and neck, and pediatric," said Thornton. HUPTI's first patient to complete PBS treatment, 73-year-old prostate cancer patient John L. Heiser, from Hampton, VA, hailed the breakthrough technology "a no brainer." "If you have to have treatment for prostate cancer, I can't think of a better place. I'm very fortunate to live five minutes away, and very fortunate that this facility is here," said Heiser. After his 44th treatment, Heiser proved stronger than ever before with weekly gym visits and sessions with a personal trainer, his daily routine remained unchanged. "I still go five, six days a week to the gym and do cardio and weight lifting. I didn't feel any energy loss or tiredness," said Heiser. "Just the last day I was working out I set a personal best record on deadlifts, 195 pounds. And a personal record on bench press, 145 pounds. And that was within two or three days of my 44th treatment. I think it's all a mindset and what kind of condition you're in to begin with." Heiser's message of advice to those researching cancer treatment options, "definitely, definitely look at proton therapy. I mean just the physics of it. The fact that you're not being bombarded with radiation as it leaves the targeted area." "Because the dose is more conformal to the tumor site, the beam is pinpointed to the exact area, enabling clinicians to utilize Intensity-Modulated Proton Therapy (IMPT)," said Ping Wong, HUPTI Chief of Physics, whose team was responsible for commissioning the PBS equipment. Three more patients have entered PBS treatment at the Hampton University Proton Therapy Institute this month, with approximately 20 new additions scheduled to begin treatment in January. Know The Cancer Facts (provided by the CDC and the American Cancer Society) 1) Hampton Roads leads our nation in prostate cancer deaths. 2) African American males lead the world in prostate cancer incidences. 3) African American males have a higher mortality rate than whites for each of the major cancer sites (colon, male lung, female breast and prostate). 4) The death rate of prostate cancer is 2.4 times higher in African American males than white males. 5) The incidence rate of prostate cancer is 59% higher in African American males than white males. 6) The death rate of African American males is 38% higher than white males. 7) The death rate of African American females is 17% higher than white females. For more information regarding PBS treatment, view the Hampton Roads Show link: http://wavy.com/2015/11/23/pencil-beam-scanning/ To visit, take a tour or book a consultation with HUPTI, please call: (877) 251.6838 or visit http://www.hamptonproton.org<http://www.hamptonproton.org/> SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-702-5854 Skype: sandra.phoenix1 Like us on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/hbculibraryalliance/ 1438 West Peachtree NW Suite 200 Atlanta,GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (LYRASIS) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children.