Radiation oncology is a medical specialty that uses targeted, high-powered beams of energy to kill cancer cells. The physicians in White Plains Hospital's Department of Radiation Oncology use advanced technology to deliver these precise doses of radiation with pinpoint accuracy to treat tumors, minimizing the impact to surrounding healthy tissue.
Cancers treated include:
- Breast cancer
- Urologic cancers (prostate, bladder, kidney)
- Thoracic (lung and esophageal cancers)
- Head and neck cancers
- Gastrointestinal tumors (colorectal, anal, pancreas, liver and bile duct)
- Gynecologic cancers
- Hematologic tumors (lymphomas, multiple myeloma)
- Brain and spine tumors
- Soft tissue sarcoma
- Metastases
- Skin cancers
- Certain benign conditions (i.e. Dupuytren's disease, keloid)
Individualized cancer treatment plans are developed by a multidisciplinary team of radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, surgeons, pathologists, radiologists, geneticists and other cancer-related specialists.
Patients also have access to participate in a number of clinical trials.
Advanced technology
The Hospital's Department of Radiation Oncology is equipped with some of the most advanced treatment technology in the region.
Our two state-of-the-art linear accelerators, the “Edge” and the “TrueBeam,” treat tumors without having to surgically remove them.
The Varian Edge is designed to deliver full-body stereotactic radiosurgery and has the ability to target precise tumors, delivering treatment without causing damage to the general areas. Most often, the technology requires only one to five treatments, lasting merely 15 to 20 minutes each.
The Varian Edge can treat tumors throughout the entire body, but the major areas of focus are the brain, lungs, esophagus, liver, pancreas, adrenals, prostate and kidneys.
We are the only hospital in Westchester County to offer the Varian Edge technology.
Listen to Randy Stevens, MD, explain the benefits of the Varian Edge and view a video below to learn more.
This treatment allows small amounts of radiation (the size of a pencil tip) to be temporarily placed in or near the cancerous tissue using computerized axial tomography.
- High-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy is an extremely effective technique for easily accessible areas with tumors or those at risk for recurrence.
- An average treatment lasts 5 to 10 minutes. This approach is frequently used for breast and gynecologic cancers, but can be used in areas where tumors are easily accessible.
This treatment provides an 80-centimetetr-wide bore for maximum patient comfort, metal artifact reduction and Max Field of View for optimal image quality, as well as a deviceless 4-D CT for motion management and tracking of mobile tumor targets.
The Gamma Knife is only used to treat brain tumors, which makes it limited compared to the Varian Edge. The Gamma Knife is an older technology, making it somewhat outdated, which is demonstrated by its use of radioactive material. The activity of the material decays over time, and therefore the treatment is not as strong as that of the Varian Edge. However, there is still a chance of damaging the surrounding healthy areas of the brain.
The CyberKnife radiosurgery targets a broad range of tumors throughout the whole body. However, it is limited in its ability, Most often, the CyberKnife is better suited for small, residual tumors, and only after prior radiotherapy treatments have been performed. In addition, the treatment sessions for the CyberKnife last about 30 to 60 minutes each, extending the time it takes to administer this form of radiosurgery, compared to the Varian Edge.
Awards for excellence
The Hospital's Radiation Oncology Department is fully accredited by the American College of Radiology - Radiation Oncology Program.
The Hospital is a repeat recipient of the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer's Outstanding Achievement Award and has been repeatedly designated as a National Breast Center by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers.
The Women’s Choice Award® - America's Best Hospitals for Cancer Care signifies a commitment and passion towards an extraordinary healthcare experience for all patients through the Hospital's cancer program, meeting the highest cancer care accreditation standards of the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer, as well as for their excellence in clinical performance with regard to patient safety measures.
Meet the team
Randy Stevens, MD, Director, Department of Radiation Oncology, and Jeffrey Vainshtein, MD, bring decades of combined expertise in the use of advanced radiotherapy treatment techniques for the management of many types of cancer. Both are board certified in radiation oncology, with Dr. Stevens also board certified in internal medicine. Together they provide highly sophisticated, personalized care working in collaboration with other experts in a variety of medical and surgical specialties.
