The Department of Radiation Oncology at Wyckoff Heights is one of the most dynamic fields in medicine for cancer care. It is dedicated to the service of its community of patients and their families. Our mission is to provide excellence in care through prevention, education, and treatment in a safe environment.

Mounzer Tchelebi, MD
Chairman

The Department of Radiation Oncology at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center is dedicated to servicing its community of patients, their families, and physicians. Our essential mission is to deliver state-of-the-art cancer care by applying both conventional and advanced methods of cancer diagnosis, evaluation, and radiation therapy. The department has participated in clinical cancer research through its membership in several National Cancer Institute studies and disease-oriented groups. We aim to provide our patients with the latest in radiation technology and combined modality treatments. Our extensive procedure provides a better understanding of lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, as well as cancers of the gastro-intestinal systems.

Available Treatments

Renovated Department with State-of-the-Art Equipment
Dual energy photons and electrons allow us to customize the radiation to treat a patient’s particular disease. Dual energy means we can provide both low and high-energy photons. Low energy photons can be used to treat tumors located more superficially such as skin, breast, and head & neck cancer. The higher energy photons allow us to treat more deep-seated tumor while sparing normal tissue. Both photon energies provide a skin sparing effect which results in much lower doses to the skin surface.

3-Dimensional Conformal Radiation Therapy (3D-CRT)
The combination of different radiation energies, dynamic collimator shaping and linear accelerator rotation around the tumor allows us to provide a three-dimensional (3D) radiation dose to the cancer cells in the most accurate way possible.

Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)
IMRT allows more radiation to be delivered to the exact tumor volume while reducing the dose to critical and normal structures. This technology makes treatment of brain, prostate, lung, neck, and pancreatic cancers very feasible and much more precise with fewer side effects.

Multi-Leaf Collimator (MLC)
Our linear accelerator is equipped with MLC, which gives us the ability to conform our radiation treatment directly to the tumor. Each leaf is driven by a computer and can move independently during the treatment. With this beam-shaping ability, we deliver intensity modulated radiation therapy, IMRT, and Brachytherapy.

Brachytherapy
Our radiation oncologists are experienced in employing internal radiation therapy (brachytherapy) in many types of cancers. We use brachytherapy in gynecological malignancies, prostate, and soft tissue sarcoma, among many other tumors. Both Low Dose Rate (LDR) and High Dose Rate (HDR) are available. These treatments are capable of achieving a high level of cancer cure with little damage to surrounding tissues. The program is also supported by computerized calculation and planning to allow the maximum degree of accuracy and safety.

Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS)

This new technology allows us to treat focal tumors that are not amenable for surgery by laser type of radiation. SRS utilizes highly conformal/precise beams of radiation to target these deep-seated tumors in fewer fractions (five or less), resulting in complete control and in many times excellent outcomes. This technology employs a non-invasive frameless type of immobilization device which results in great precision while keeping the patient comfortable. SRS can treat brain, lung, spine, liver, and other tumors. This treatment is done on an-outpatient basis in less than one hour per fraction.

Vertebral Intracavitary Administration of Samarium and Cement for Spinal Metastases
This new technology was invented and pioneered by our radiation oncologists to treat patients with spinal metastases. The procedure is done jointly with the neurosurgeon after kyphoplasty, which is then coupled with administration of a radioactive substance called samarium.

Education, Research and Development

Cancer care, especially radiation oncology, is one of the most dynamic fields in medicine, where new knowledge and innovative therapy are continually developing. In cooperation with other centers and sister institutions, the department is developing new methods of treatment of hepatobiliary cancers, and brain tumors. The department is a primary applicant for a federal grant for a Clinical Community Oncology Program (CCOP) and is a study site of prostate cancer prevention. The department participates heavily in all cancer educational activities at the institutions.

Staff

The professional group is composed of three radiation oncologists, all credentialed by the American Board of Radiation Oncology with fellowships from the Colleges of Radiology and Radiation Oncology. All radiation oncologists carry academic titles. All technological staff (therapists) are licensed and are members of the American Registry. The supporting physics staff is credentialed by The American Board of Radiation Oncology.

Under the auspices of the National Cancer Institute, the department focuses on treating and studying cancer in the elderly, with special attention to minority populations.