Surface Guided Radio Therapy (SGRT)

Hi Moonrakerz

I saw that you  hadn't had an answer so thought I would reply, SGRT is fairly new I think although people were talking about it in 2017 when I had my RT,

Probably unlikely that anyone on here will have had it although u never know. I have read good things about it and looks like good new for you by the sound of it

Best wishes

Steve

Hello Steve,

thanks for your reply, as you say, SGRT does sound a good step forward.

One thing I have found since my diagnosis is how very difficult it is to find out exactly what capabilities various treatment centres can offer. I now have ten times as many questions about RT as I have already asked !

I have spent some time picking my way through many NHS hospital websites to see who has got what. There are 65 cancer treatment centres in the UK, of these I can find references to 18 of these having SGRT fitted Linacs. The first appears to have been installed in 2015. What really surprised me is that SGRT equipment is not currently funded by the NHS - "because it is not a core function for effective treatment". That is: it is not a new treatment, just an improvement to existing treatment. 

(Many of the websites are not dated, so the above figures may not be 100% accurate - but do give an idea)

It also appears that SGRT is already being overtaken by yet another new development, an MR Linac - which combines an MRI scanner and a Linac in one piece of equipment. This gives even greater accuracy of placing the radiation beam correctly on the tumour and avoiding the parts that do not need radiation.

Costs:  I have seen appeals for donations for SGRT equipment - this seems to suggest costs are about £200,000 per set to add to a fairly modern Linac. I also found one hospital stating that its (single !) brand new MR Linac cost £3.5M !!  Doesn't say who paid for it.........

If anyone does come across SGRT in their treatment I would still like to hear their thoughts. I would certainly suggest that those about to have RT enquire as to what is available in their area.

Just finished my radiotherapy and to be honest I don't know really what I had (terrible I no lol ) but there are 3 machines and the signs to them all said linac this was at Peterborough and I have to say my care was fantastic 

Can't see any reference to SGRT at Peterborough on the web - but that might depend on how up to date the site is.  If there is SGRT there will be 3 projector/camera housings on the ceiling pointing down at the patient on the table.

Something like these..............

https://www.klaritycare.com/en/product_details/998

If it helps I had IMRT and  IGRT together which was one of the latest at  the time, this included the fiducial gold markers to help with targeting.

No problems at the time and no problems 8 years later

Steve 

 My hospital in  Inverness uses SGRT, and had been just been given over £700,000 to upgrade the software  on their two Varian machines early 2024, they had started to install/work with it early that summer, my treatment ended in early December 2024. 

Hi moonrakerz 

My husband had targetted RT on a MRIdian Linac two and a half years ago . He had full pelvic RT plus lymph nodes & his lower torso (ribs) 20 sessions, I can’t remember SG/SArt ?? To be honest it took him a while to recover (fitness) as it was so extensive, but recover he did. Very good results so far. There is an expectation with him that as the years go on he could have problems caused by the internal scars shrinking and pulling on areas like the urethra, but. Nothing as yet. The linac was and is an excellent machine for accurate targeting I believe.
Best wishes L   

Thanks for that - Inverness did not come up on my searches ! 

Hi - I'm having SGRT at Bristol Haemotology & Oncology Centre - after uterine cancer diagnosis (successfully removed with a radical hysterectomy and oophorectomy). Originally I was due to have the usual radiotherapy but refused to be tattooed as I didnt want a permanent reminder of my cancer. Oncologist then told me there was SGRT available which she would request. I didn't know if that request had been successful until I was actually in the radiotherapy room! I'm on day three of my 25-doses of SGRT - also had chemo on day one and due another chemo on day 16. All going well, a bit sore in the pelvic area, and really tired, but apart from that, no adverse reactions, yet! Interesting what you said about the enemas - that news was a shock to me and the thought of self administering in a public toilet felt really wrong. I initially refused. Apparently it's not quite so important to have your bowels completely empty because the SGRT is so precise. This process is a steep learning curve isn't it!

Hi - finally, another rare patient who has had SGRT as well ! I have been both surprised and disappointed that this technology is not much more widely available.

Not only does it make the patient experience much less unpleasant, but it speeds up the treatment flow at the hospital. This means more people can be treated and the probability of successful treatment is increased.

I have read somewhere that SGRT hardware and software is/was not funded by the NHS. The reason being was that it did not offer a "new treatment" - it only improved an existing one. My experience, that of fellow patients and the radiology staff all sing the praises of SGRT.  My advice to anyone advised to undergo EBRT would be to enquire about the availability of SGRT...............it's worth travelling for !

Good luck with the rest of your treatment.