Radiation Therapy
Mills-Peninsula provides radiation treatment for more people than any other facility in San Mateo County. A dedicated CT scanner and 3-D imaging are used to target specific tumors, minimizing the exposure of healthy tissue. This technology allows two linear accelerators to conform the beam of radiation to the cancer site.
- Brachytherapy for prostate cancer–This less invasive treatment alternative avoids more extensive surgery for many men. Radioactive seeds are permanently implanted into the prostate during outpatient surgery.
Mills-Peninsula introduced the first brachytherapy program in a community setting in San Mateo County. - High-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy for early-stage breast cancer - a treatment option for some early stage breast cancer, brachytherapy reduces treatment time from a customary six to seven weeks down to five days. A radioactive pellet is delivered directly to the tissue surrounding the original breast tumor through one temporary catheter that is inserted shortly after the lumpectomy procedure and removed following therapy.
Mills-Peninsula is the first community hospital on the Peninsula to offer this new technology. - Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) – Advanced radiation therapy that is more focused and precise, allowing higher doses to be delivered with fewer side effects. The technology is being introduced now for people with prostate cancer, with plans to expand the treatment capability to women with breast cancer.