Advanced Radiation Therapy Available

Inova Fair Oaks Cancer Center to provide latest cancer treatment option

Inova Fair Oaks Hospital’s Radiation Oncology Department, opening this spring as part of the future Cancer Center, will offer the “latest and greatest” in radiation therapy, in addition to other services. The new facility will be equipped to treat every type of solid cancer that occurs in adults, says Ashish Chawla, MD, Medical Director of Radiation Oncology at Inova Fair Oaks. This includes breast, prostate, lung, head and neck, and colorectal cancers, among others.

One way Inova Fair Oaks Hospital will provide this high-quality care is through its use of the state-of-the-art Varian TrueBeam system for radiation therapy for cancer. This machine, the centerpiece of the department, “delivers radiation treatment quickly and accurately, which helps to minimize risk to the patient. It also has advanced onboard imaging, allowing doctors to better pinpoint radiation to abnormal cells and maximize protection of the healthy tissue,” Dr. Chawla says.

The upcoming center will provide expert surgical, medical and radiation oncology; diagnostics; and support services in the personalized Inova Fair Oaks Hospital setting. It “will be the first and only truly multidisciplinary center in western Fairfax County,” notes Paul Bajaj, MD, the center’s Assistant Medical Director. “Cancer care and outcomes are at their best when a team-based approach is utilized. This involves the input of our specialized radiation oncologists, surgical and medical oncologists, radiologists, pathologists and a team of support services. This team will also include dedicated patient navigators to assist patients in all aspects of their cancer journey. Our goal is to take care of the person … not just the problem.”