What’s the Difference Between IMRT and EBRT for Mesothelioma?
EBRT is radiation delivered by a machine outside the body. It’s considered the benchmark treatment for mesothelioma radiation. Nearly all mesothelioma patients who get radiation receive some form of EBRT.
There are several types of EBRT, with one of the most commonly recommended being IMRT. IMRT is a specialized form of EBRT that allows doctors to tailor the strength and shape of radiation to a tumor. This provides a higher dose of radiation with less damage to healthy tissues.
Doctors can determine if IMRT or another type of EBRT could help you live longer with mesothelioma. Factors unique to your case, such as your cancer type and stage, affect whether or not radiation will be a good fit for you.
Use our Free Doctor Match for help finding local specialists who can use mesothelioma radiation to improve your survival time.
Is IMRT or EBRT Better for Mesothelioma?
It depends on your individual diagnosis. However, many doctors recommend intensity-modulated radiation therapy for mesothelioma since it’s more precise.
“We try to conform the radiation to the target, more where I want and less where I don’t. We try to spread the dose out in a way that allows us to more selectively target cancer cells.”
– Dr. Keith Cengel, mesothelioma radiation specialist at the University of Pennsylvania
With that said, your doctor could potentially use other types of mesothelioma external beam radiation therapy if IMRT isn’t the best option for you.
Steps to Receiving IMRT or EBRT for Mesothelioma
The overall process for receiving IMRT or EBRT is very similar. The main difference is that IMRT allows doctors to fine-tune the dose and shape of the radiation beams.
1. Attend a Simulation Session and Get Imaging Scans
Before receiving any type of mesothelioma radiation, you’ll go over what to expect through a simulation session. The radiation oncologist (cancer doctor) will go over the basics of the treatment and answer your questions.
You’ll also get imaging tests like CT scans, PET scans, or MRIs that will help doctors map the IMRT or EBRT radiation doses to your tumor.
2. Receive Radiation Treatment
When it’s time for you to get radiation, you’ll meet at your doctor’s office and be asked to lie on a linear accelerator. This machine is how doctors deliver all types of EBRT, including IMRT.
Doctors use the linear accelerator to administer radiation from multiple angles. They adjust the strength and size of the radiation beams throughout the process.
“Intensity-modulated radiation enables doctors to divide radiation into many small, computer-controlled beams of different adjustable strengths. Together, these beams are sculpted in three dimensions to closely conform to the size, shape, and location of the cancer.”
– NYU Langone Cancer Center
IMRT and EBRT appointments usually take 15-30 minutes. You’ll typically get radiation for 5 days a week over several weeks at the direction of your doctor.
3. Manage Side Effects & Get Follow-Up Scans
All types of mesothelioma EBRT, including IMRT, pose a risk of side effects like nausea, fatigue, and skin irritation. Your doctors can recommend ways to help manage any radiation side effects.
You’ll also need to get follow-up imaging scans. These will help your doctors ensure that the radiation is working to control your cancer. If your mesothelioma tumors don’t shrink or stop growing, you may need to try another treatment option.
How Do IMRT or EBRT Fit Into My Mesothelioma Treatment Plan?
Radiation therapy (whether IMRT or EBRT) can be used alongside mesothelioma surgery and chemotherapy. Combining several treatments is called multimodal therapy and is often recommended to help patients live longer.
IMRT or EBRT may be used:
- After surgery (adjuvant therapy): It can destroy any remaining cancer cells.
- Before surgery (neoadjuvant therapy): Radiation may be used to shrink tumors.
- For symptom relief (palliative therapy): Lower doses can ease pain or breathing difficulties caused by tumors, acting as a type of palliative treatment.
Currently, radiation is mainly used for pleural mesothelioma, which affects the lung lining. Radiation therapy is less common for peritoneal mesothelioma but may be used for symptom relief.
Call (866) 608-8933 now to speak with our Oncology Nurse Navigator and learn more about what to expect with radiation and other mesothelioma treatments.
Mesothelioma IMRT vs. EBRT Side Effects
Since IMRT is a type of EBRT, both can cause similar side effects in mesothelioma patients. Reactions vary depending on the treatment area, dose rate, and the amount of radiation delivered.
Common side effects of EBRT and IMRT include:
- Difficulty breathing
- Digestive issues
- Fatigue
- Hair loss
- Headaches
- Inflammation at the treatment site
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
- Shortness of breath
- Skin irritation
- Trouble swallowing
More serious side effects are rare. These include kidney damage, nerve damage, pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lung), and radiation pneumonitis (lung inflammation).
Your mesothelioma doctors will monitor you during radiation therapy and can recommend ways to manage side effects. Always report severe or sudden changes in your health to your doctor right away so they can address them as quickly as possible.
Mesothelioma EBRT vs. IMRT Benefits
Both EBRT and IMRT can effectively shrink tumors and improve survival among mesothelioma patients. However, IMRT generally offers better precision and fewer side effects.
Key benefits of IMRT over standard EBRT include:
- Better prognosis: Mesothelioma patients treated with IMRT after surgery live 19-28 months on average, according to Practical Radiation Oncology. Patients who get standard EBRT have a life expectancy of 13.5-17 months, as noted by The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.
- More precise doses of radiation: IMRT allows doctors to adjust the amount of radiation to the tumor. Other types of EBRT come with a risk of providing too much or too little radiation.
- Reduced side effects: Side effects may be less severe with IMRT versus other types of EBRT because doctors can adjust the size and scope of the radiation.
Get our Free Mesothelioma Guide to see how radiation and other mesothelioma treatment options could help you or a loved one.
Get Help Choosing Between IMRT and EBRT for Mesothelioma
Deciding on IMRT or EBRT is a big decision if you have mesothelioma. Which one will work best for you depends on your overall health, which other treatments you’re planning to get, and more factors unique to your diagnosis.
Navigating which mesothelioma treatments to get can be overwhelming, but Mesothelioma Hope is here to help.
Our registered nurses and Patient Advocates can:
- Connect you with cancer specialists
- Explain what to expect during treatment
- Help you pursue compensation for cancer care
- Offer support to you and your family
Use our Free Doctor Match right now or call (866) 608-8933 to get started. We’re ready to help you access the care you deserve after a mesothelioma diagnosis.
IMRT vs. EBRT FAQs
Are EBRT and IMRT the same?
No, external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) isn’t exactly the same as intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT).
EBRT is the main form of radiotherapy used to treat mesothelioma and involves using radiation delivered from a machine. IMRT is a specific type of EBRT in which doctors can adjust the shape of the external radiation in real time, allowing for more precise and concentrated doses.
Is EBRT or IMRT better for mesothelioma?
Doctors prefer IMRT over other EBRT options. IMRT helps doctors deliver more radiation without damaging healthy tissues. For example, another type of EBRT called three-dimensional radiation may not be recommended if IMRT is an option, since it’s less precise.
That said, your mesothelioma doctors can determine whether another type of EBRT would be more appropriate for your case than IMRT.
Contact us now for help finding specialists who can see if IMRT or other forms of EBRT can help you live longer after a mesothelioma diagnosis.
What are the drawbacks of IMRT and EBRT?
IMRT requires more complex treatment planning and can take longer to deliver. EBRT is faster and more common but exposes more tissue to radiation, increasing your risk of side effects.
More broadly, IMRT and other types of EBRT are typically only provided along with other treatments for pleural mesothelioma or as a palliative option. This means they’re not as widely used as other mesothelioma treatment options like chemotherapy and surgery.
IMRT also requires advanced imaging and planning systems, which may not be available at all treatment centers. Radiation oncologists carefully weigh the benefits and risks before recommending IMRT or another type of radiation.
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