With the current increase in cancer all over the world, advanced technology to combat the disease is developing rapidly, as is the international exchange of knowledge and experience in the treatment of cancer. As a result, there is a growing demand for specialists who not only speak a foreign language, but who also have the relevant theoretical and practical expertise.

The issues that arise in translating texts in this field are usually due to several factors: the presence of specialized terminology, an inadequate understanding of what the equipment or components look like in real life, and lack of access to sources of information to help in the translation of equipment component names. That is why we’ve chosen radiation therapy for oncological diseases as the latest topic in our Subject Matter Expert Days series. Irina Pyzhova, Head of the Radiation Oncology Department at the Tomsk Regional Oncology Centre, spoke to us about the types and methods of diagnosis and treatment in her field, as well as future developments and opportunities in the field of radiation oncology.

“Thanks to Palex team for the interest in medical sphere, you have impressed our staff with genuine sincerity and concernment! We are looking forward to the new opportunitites of communication and cooperation,” says Irina Pyzhova, Head of the Radiation Therapy Department.

In the seminar, we discussed major trends in radiation medicine in Russia and beyond. In particular, we explored the problems and prospects of radionuclide therapy, the development of combination therapy, as well as the increasing use of intraoperative radiation therapy.

According to experts, the most effective treatment approach for many tumors, especially deep-lying tumors, is a combination of the brachytherapy and external beam radiotherapy, where one part of the dose is applied directly (for example, to the organ itself), while the other is applied at a distance. This makes possible the use of very high doses, while shortening the radiation exposure time and reducing the irradiation of healthy tissues. Furthermore, this treatment method is a practical treatment option for inoperable patients. Another very promising method is radionuclide therapy, involving the use of various radiopharmaceutical agents that selectively target tumor metastases.

Of course, current rapidly developing methods of teletherapy also require a mention here. Together with reliable equipment, precise and user-friendly software, and effective quality control, they make radiotherapy increasingly safe and accessible for patients all over the world.

During the visit to the Centre, our staff had the opportunity to see the kind of high-tech equipment whose manuals often require translation. The exhibits included a contrast media injector, CT and MRI systems, a linear accelerator, and brachytherapy equipment. We got the chance to observe digital work at outlining and planning stations, and to familiarize ourselves with specialised software interfaces.

“Apart from the equipment, it was helpful to see the accessories used for the procedure: items to help secure the patient, masks, tissue-mimicking phantoms and matrices,” says Vladislav Sidash, Project Manager.

During the meeting, the staff at the Radiology Department of the Oncology Centre talked about the kinds of difficulties they often encounter in their work. The most significant of these was the fact that most literature that came with equipment acquired from Germany, Canada, Japan and England was written in foreign languages and most of the user interfaces in the equipment itself could not be localized.

“Overall, it felt like the doctors were speaking our language, like we are using the right terminology in our work. They, in turn, showed a lot of interest in our work and emphasized the importance of our efforts to make qualified and high-tech medical treatment available for people worldwide,” says Natalia Razmolova, Linguistic Expert.

Accurate specific terminology translation is mandatory for professionals who deal with medical documentation and software performed in foreign language. Each linguistic mistake may be critical. Here, at Palex, we strongly believe that this SME Day event, where all the participants of localization process were involved, facilitated deeper understanding of specific clinical process and details related to radiology and oncology, and contributed significantly into accuracy of the medical translations provided by Palex linguists.

In the field of medical radiology translation, Palex is especially proud of its cooperation with Brainlab and ulrich medical, which offer patients innovative solutions in radiation therapy and radiosurgery, as well as developing software and hardware technology to help in the fight against cancer.