He says over Zoom, Im still scared of my parents.
But that changed when Dr. Bhanusalis mother was diagnosed with metastaticlung cancer.
She now has several tattoos permanently marking where she gets radiation therapy every week.
Getty Images/Bella Geraci
Each of the tiny dots on her chest ensures she gets the most accurate, precise treatment.
Soon patients wont have to live with this permanent reminder of their cancer diagnosis and radiation-therapy treatment.
Isabelle Choi, MD, a board-certified radiation oncologist in New York City.
Ultimately, these quick pinpricks help minimize discomfort during the entire treatment cycle.
If positioning markings need to be redone, were back at square one, says Dr. Choi.
Treatment time becomes extended, radiation exposure increases.
Traditionally, radiation-marking tattoos are done with a hypodermic needle.
To avoid this constant reminder, patients often get permanent tattoos removed after radiation treatments are finished.
But, as Dr. Bhanusali points out,laser tattoo removalis an incredibly painful process physically and emotionally.
Beyond the pain, laser tattoo removal becomes yet another expense, and can take multiple sessions to complete.
Furthermore, Dr. Bhanusali says, removal by laser may not be 100% effective.
Dr. Bhanusali compares Ephemeral tattoos to scars rather than permanent body art.
It’s all about how your body functions, he says.
There are always gonna be outliers either way.
Currently, Dr. Siddiqui and his team are working to document fading in the tattoos of study participants.
This offers the possibility of radiation-marking tattoos that can be seen only under a UV light.
In 2021, Dr. Choi began using InkAlign from Qfix, a medical equipment manufacturer.
She tested it in a clinical trial of 100 patients at the New York Proton Center.
Overall, 90% of the patients thought the cosmetic outcome was good to excellent, she says.
The study was so successful that invisible ink is now an option for all New York Proton Center patients.
Now shes excited to offer one of her own options to improve quality of life for patients post-treatment.
Now we have options that obviate that part of their lives after cancer.
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