Breast Cancer Service
This service provides state-of-the-art technology for treating breast cancer, including 3-D conformal radiotherapy, intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and brachytherapy for partial breast radiation. A variety of clinical trials are also available. We are an integral part of the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Multidisciplinary Breast Cancer Collaborative Group (BCCG) Clinic, offering new patients an opportunity to be evaluated by a team, including a breast surgeon, breast radiation oncologist and medical oncologist.
Contact names: JoAnne Collier-Manning, M.D.; Brian Collins, M.D.; Anatoly Dritschilo, M.D.
Appointment line: (202) 444-9328
Appointment hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
CyberKnife Service
This service uses state-of-the-art technology to deliver radiation to a site within the brain or elsewhere within the body with pinpoint accuracy. This noninvasive treatment option is particularly effective for treating patients who have tumors and lesions of the brain and spine, as well as other sites in the body often diagnosed as inoperable. It marries a robot capable of fine control and precision with an x-band accelerator. The robotic arm targets a tumor with up to 1,400+ precision radiation beams. The arrangement of beams is determined by sophisticated optimization software that attempts to maximize the dose to the tumor while sparing adjacent uninvolved tissue from unneeded radiation. Near real-time imaging allows the robot to adjust to patient and tumor movements and even to adjust to breathing motion. The sheer number of beams and fine robotic control result in delivery of high radiation doses with submillimeter precision.
The Stereotactic Radiosurgery Center treats a variety of malignant and nonmalignant brain tumors. The center provides treatment to the spine, lung, pancreas, liver and prostate. Results to date have been encouraging, and the indications for this technology are expanding.
Contact name: Cheryl Savage, administrator/CyberKnife coordinator
Appointment line: (202) 444-4639
Appointment hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Prostate Cancer Service
Radiation therapy for prostate cancer includes the following procedures:
- Three-Dimensional Radiation Therapy (3D-CRT) and Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) – the radiation conforms to the shape of the tumor volume, treating the cancer while limiting the exposure of normal tissue.
- Brachytherapy and Interstitial Implantation – this procedure applies sealed sources of radioactive materials known as “seeds” and places them directly inside tumors. As a result, tumors are treated with very high doses of radiation while the dose to surrounding healthy tissue is minimized.
- Stereotactic Radiosurgery and CyberKnife Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) – this treatment method delivers large doses of highly focused, convergent beams of ionizing radiation to the prostate tumor site as described for the CyberKnife service.
Appointment line: (202) 444-3062
Appointment hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Gastrointestinal and Liver Cancer Service
Radiation therapy for gastrointestinal and liver cancers includes the following procedures:
- Three-Dimensional Radiation Therapy (3D-CRT) and Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) – the radiation conforms to the shape of the tumor volume, treating the cancer while limiting the exposure of normal tissue.
- SIR-Spheres – this treatment delivers radioactive microscopic beads to liver tumors.
- Stereotactic Radiosurgery and CyberKnife Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) – this treatment method delivers large doses of highly focused, convergent beams of ionizing radiation to the tumor site as described for the CyberKnife service.
Appointment line: (202) 444-3062
Appointment hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Head and Neck Cancer Service/
Skull-Base Tumor Service
The Department of Radiation Medicine is part of a vertically and horizontally integrated Head and Neck Cancer Service at the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. All patients are seen by a radiation oncologist with more than 25 years of experience specializing in head and neck cancer treatment, a specialist head and neck cancer surgeon and a medical oncologist who specializes in the chemotherapy treatment of head and neck cancers. Patients are also seen by other members of the Head and Neck Cancer Service, including a nutritionist, a speech and swallowing specialist and an oral surgeon with more than 20 years of experience with the dental issues associated with head and neck radiation therapy. All patients are presented and discussed at the weekly Georgetown/Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center Head and Neck Tumor Board, which is attended by all team members.
Radiation treatment options include conventionally fractionated IMRT/IGRT, CyberKnife fractionated stereotactic radiosurgery (SBRT), brachytherapy (both high-dose rate and low-dose rate iridium), as well as the CyberKnife reirradiation of patients previously given comprehensive radiation for a prior malignancy.
Contact name: K. William Harter, M.D.
Appointment line: (202) 444-6385
Appointment hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Pulmonary Oncology/Lung Cancer Service
The Department of Radiation Oncology is an integral part of the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center Pulmonary Oncology/Lung Cancer Group. This group consists of a dedicated pulmonary medicine specialist, a medical oncology (chemotherapy) lung cancer specialist, two thoracic cancer surgeons and a radiation oncologist with a special interest in treating lung cancers and other intrathoracic tumors.
Technology available includes IMRT, CyberKnife and brachytherapy. CyberKnife Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) has been proven to be particularly useful in the definitive treatment of early-stage lung cancer when surgery cannot be performed.
Contact name: Brian Collins, M.D.
Appointment line: (202) 444-3282
Appointment hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
