Anyone know about Vero, the latest for radiation?

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SylMarie
SylMarie Member Posts: 91 Member
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

The reason why I am looking into the Vero machine, is that it is touted to reduce the treatment time, and also the damage to surrounding tissue. I guess it might be considered the newest thing, more so than the Proton Therapy. So far, there are not many machines. It looks like a university hospital in Texas has one machine (not at MD Anderson), one in Syracuse, NY, and also one in Jacksonville, FL, as part of UF/Shands. Shands limited their use to patients with mets when it first got the machine, because it was using the machine for a study. I am going to contact them to find out if that is still the case.

My cancer was in the upper left gingiva and quite a bit of tissue and 3 molars and one canine tooth were removed. Despite clean margins, my oncologic surgeon believes the tumor board will recommend radiation. I guess the margins may not have been big enough, considering that my cancer was somewhere between moderately and poorly differentiated SCC. Although my surgeon said they'd probably recommend IMRT, I am concerned about the side effects and I am trying to find treatments and machines that will do the job with the least amount of damage. I have to try.

Has anyone heard of Vero? I'm sure it isn't always the best choice for everyone, but I am trying to be proactive and have information before meeting with radiation oncologists in the next couple of weeks. 

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  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,722 Member
    #2
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    vero

    SylMarie,

    Sounds like another big gun in the cancer fighting arsenal.

    It may be a perfect fit for some.

    Matt

  • tomb247
    tomb247 Member Posts: 54
    edited July 2016 #3
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    VERO LINK

    Here is a video on the technology

    http://www.upstate.edu/radonc/healthcare/treatment_options/vero.php

  • SylMarie
    SylMarie Member Posts: 91 Member
    edited July 2016 #4
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    It's interesting that there are so few machines.

    My husband called Shands/UF in Jacksonville and they told him that their Vero was not for me, so I guess it is still only for those with mets. She also suggested it wasn't being used at the time. It seems that it isn't catching on as quickly as the Proton Therapy. Maybe the machine is just too expensive for most places, especially ones that have already invested in Proton. Oh, well... It was worth a try, right?  :) 

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,722 Member
    #5
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    getting closer

    SM,

    There are existing standard treatment methodologies and meds which work very successfully for treatment of many H&N cancers.  There is not a magic bullet for most of us.  There are also those methods used for persistent cancers, Vero may be one of those.

    You are early in the game; it is most likely you don’t meet the criteria.  From what I read the criteria is pretty specific.

    Most equipment and drugs used to treat cancer are expensive, but cancer is so popular that I do not see expense as a deterrent.  New cancer centers are continually being constructed.

    I know that selecting a treatment plan is confusing.  The experts put the selection ball in our court.

    Matt

     

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