UnityPoint Health - John Stoddard Cancer Center - Radiation Oncology and Brachytherapy Center

Stoddard Cancer Center has been recognized as an accredited breast cancer center by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) since 2014. Receiving care at a cancer center accredited by the NAPBC means you gain access to a full range of state-of-the-art cancer care services, clinical trials and a multidisciplinary team approach to coordinate the best cancer treatment options.

Stoddard Cancer Center is an accredited cancer center by the Commission on Cancer (CoC), a program of the American College of Surgeons. CoC accreditation demonstrates a commitment to providing comprehensive, state-of-the-art cancer care close to home. 

As a Clinical Radiopharmaceutical Therapy Center of Excellence, our dedicated care team boasts Radiation Oncologists certified in the interpretation of nuclear medicine studies, working hand-in-hand with certified nuclear medicine radiologists. Our team brings a wealth of experience in administering various radiopharmaceutical therapies, ensuring the highest standards of care for our patients.

Stoddard Cancer Center, one of the leading centers for radiation therapy in the Midwest, has been recognized as a Vision RT Center of Excellence. When receiving care at Stoddard Cancer Center you can expect to be treated by an oncology radiation team that has a proven expertise in the use of the AlignRT® system for all treatment sites and tattoo and mark-free radiation therapy treatment. The team demonstrates a high degree of skill and experience when delivering radiation therapy. 

RapidArc™ radiotherapy delivers treatments using a linear accelerator. The linear accelerator rotates around the patient to deliver radiation treatments from nearly any angle. During a RapidArc treatment, radiation is shaped and reshaped as it is delivered continuously from virtually every angle in a 360-degree revolution around the patient.

Immediately prior to treatment, the exact location, size, and shape of the patient's tumor is visually observed through a simple two-minute imaging procedure using the machine's On-Board Imager. Using Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT), the tumor's location is checked with a CT scan and X-ray prior to each treatment. After imaging is completed, the images are reviewed by the therapist and the patient's position can be adjusted so that an accurate treatment can be delivered. The patient does not need to move off the treatment couch for this process-all adjustments are made automatically by the treatment couch.

A RapidArc radiotherapy treatment is delivered quickly-in less than two minutes and with just one turn of the machine around the patient. RapidArc shapes and modulates a highly focused treatment beam so that it targets the tumor precisely, sparing surrounding healthy tissues. It treats the entire tumor with pinpoint accuracy and is easier on the patient, who does not have to hold still for long periods of time.

Stoddard Cancer Center had the first Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) program to treat both prostate and head/neck patients in the state of Iowa. The linear accelerator delivers radiation treatments from designated angles to provide the highest level of accuracy and beam conformity by "painting" radiation doses around the tumor, lymph nodes and tissue at risk as well as shield critical structures. Similar to RapidArc, immediately prior to treatment, the exact location, size, and shape of the patient's tumor is visually observed through a simple two-minute imaging procedure using the machine's On-Board Imager. Using Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT), the tumor's location is checked with a CT scan and X-ray prior to each treatment. After imaging is completed, the images are reviewed by the therapist and the patient's position can be adjusted so that an accurate treatment can be delivered. The patient does not need to move off the treatment couch for this process-all adjustments are made automatically by the treatment couch.

Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT), initially developed in the 1990's, has been refined during recent years to treat patients with specific localized cancers who are not viable candidates for surgery. The term stereotactic refers to the ability to very precisely deliver high doses of radiation to a tumor. Because of the accuracy in delivering the radiation, the chances of killing tumor cells, while sparing healthy cells, is very high. In preparing for the treatment, detailed images of the tumor are collected.

To perform the treatment, Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) and advanced X-ray is required. Using IGRT, the tumor's location is checked with a CT scan and X-ray prior to each treatment. This technology has been in use at Stoddard Cancer Center since 2008 and in clinical trials has shown success in treating a range of localized tumors, including those in the lungs, brain, spine and pancreas.

Stoddard Cancer Center was the first to offer Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) in central Iowa. SRS treats complex cancers with a precise delivery of a single, high dose of radiation in a one-day session.

Radiosurgery (one-session treatment) has such a dramatic effect in the target zone that the changes are considered "surgical." Through the use of three-dimensional computer-aided planning and the high degree of immobilization, the treatment can minimize the amount of radiation that passes through healthy tissue. Stereotactic radiosurgery is routinely used to treat brain tumors and lesions. It may be the primary treatment, used when a tumor is inaccessible by surgical means; or as a boost to other treatments for a recurring or malignant tumor. Using the TrueBeam STx, we are also able to treat cancers in the brain, lung, liver, pancreas and spine.

Stereotactic radiosurgery works the same as all other forms of radiation treatment. It does not remove the tumor or lesion, but it distorts the DNA of the tumor cells. The cells then lose their ability to reproduce and retain fluids. The tumor reduction occurs at the rate of normal growth for the specific tumor cell. In lesions such as AVMs (a tangle of blood vessels in the brain), radiosurgery causes the blood vessels to thicken and close off. The shrinking of a tumor or closing off of a vessel occurs over a period of time.

Radiosurgery versus Radiotherapy

Radiosurgery is one version of radiotherapy. Both deliver radiation but use different means and doses to minimize the risk of radiation damage to healthy tissue.

• Radiosurgery delivers radiation in single high doses that conform closely to the tumor shape, and fall off sharply at the edge of the tumor.
• Standard radiotherapy delivers small daily doses of radiation in multiple treatment sessions over several weeks.

Whether a patient receives standard radiotherapy or a form of radiosurgery depends on the type of tumor and its location.

We use AlignRT®, the premier radiation therapy guidance system, that has been shown to reduce radiation exposure to your heart. When treating cancer with radiation therapy, our goal is to deliver radiation to the tumor while protecting surrounding healthy tissue from exposure and potential damage. We take extra precautions to make sure that your heart receives minimal radiation exposure during your treatment. With AlignRT, we're using the latest technology to protect your heart while treating your cancer. No tattoo is required with AlignRT because an infrared camera outlines the surface.

In certain locations in the body, such as the lungs, tumors can move as the patient breathes. In the past, this movement has hindered doctors ability to precisely map the tumor location and to accurately deliver radiation therapy. By integrating respiratory gating software into the treatment plan, doctors can define a physical window similar to a baseball strike zone, and quickly take tumor images or deliver radiation only when the tumor passes through that region.

Respiratory gating is often combined with various treatment delivery techniques as mentioned above to deliver precise doses of radiation to tumor sites. This is particularly useful for tumors near the lungs, where radiation-induced scarring can impair future breathing.

Deep Inspiration Breath Hold (DIBH) entails taking a deep breath and holding it during treatment, allowing a decreased dose of radiation to the heart and lungs. Your radiation oncologist will review your plan to determine if this is right for you.