UCLA Journal of Radiation Oncology Fall and Winter 2022 - Flipbook - Page 16
UCLA RADIATION ONCOLOGY JOURNAL
that patients can benefit from,” Dr. Anand
says. “Because some cases, like this one,
are just dramatic improvements in terms
of survival if they get into a trial.”
says, to fighting his disease.
Innovative Technology
Barajas’ only setback was in late 2021 when
a scan showed one area where cancer
was growing despite his therapy on the
clinical trial — specifically, a cluster of
lymph nodes in the left pelvic region. He
was referred to Michael Xiang, MD, PhD,
Radiation Oncologist and Medical Director
of Santa Clarita Radiation Oncology.
To treat the tumors, Dr. Xiang used a
type of focused, precision radiation
called stereotactic body radiation
therapy to deliver a concentrated dose
of radiation to the tumor. The treatment
was accomplished in just five sessions, he
notes.
“It’s a lot on your mind, and if you let
yourself come down it’s going to really
affect you,” Barajas says. “But if you try to
stay positive – it’s hard – but it’s something
you have to do. You have to train your brain
not to think about it.”
At first, Barajas and his wife tried to shield
his illness from their son, now 14, and
their daughter, now 11. Recently, however,
they’ve started to be more open with them
about their father’s cancer, even attending
a Relay for Life cancer walk in Valencia
over the summer.
“I told my wife, that’s the best thing we
could have done. That way they don’t feel
like it’s only daddy, but there are thousands
and thousands of people who have cancer,
and there are ways of fighting and dealing
with it,” Barajas says.
“Furthermore, we used a special kind of
innovative, cutting-edge technology called
adaptive radiation therapy, which allows
us to tweak or finesse the design of the
radiation, on the fly, in real-time, to adjust
for day-to-day changes in the patient's
anatomy,” Dr. Xiang says.
Emotion wells in his voice when he talks
about what he is most grateful for: getting
the opportunity to live and being able to
watch his kids grow up every single day. ☐
Contributed by: Jennifer Karmarkar
“It allows us to ensure we're still delivering
an effective dose to the tumor, while
further helping to minimize radiation
exposure to surrounding normal tissues
and organs,” he adds.
At the time, UCLA Health was one of
only a dozen centers in the U.S. with this
capability.
Staying Mentally Strong
Despite his diagnosis and the discomfort
of treatment, Barajas has been able to
maintain a positive attitude — vital, he
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