March 30, 2023 — GenesisCare, one of the leading integrated cancer care providers in the United States, Australia, Spain, and the United Kingdom, will launch ViewRay’s advanced MRIdian MRI-guided radiation therapy system at the Lee Health Regional Cancer Center on Monday, March 27, at its Fort Myers, FL location. Providing access to the precision of MRIdian Stereotactic MRI-guided Adaptive Radiotherapy (SMART) therapy in a community cancer care setting may help reduce the burden of cancer treatment for patients who choose GenesisCare.
One of the most advanced radiotherapy options available in the United States, MRIdian combines precision radiation therapy with cutting-edge, high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guidance, optimizing treatment so that fewer sessions may be required. GenesisCare Fort Myers is the first location in Southwest Florida to offer a radiotherapy system with diagnostic-quality MRI with an advanced linear accelerator and only the 28th MRIdian location in the United States. This will be the third MRIdian system within GenesisCare’s global network to treat patients, with well-established centers in Oxford and Windsor in the United Kingdom.
“After learning of the system’s capabilities, including the preciseness of the power and the targeted beam to the treatment area with reduced incidence of damage to surrounding tissue, I felt comfortable waiting for this machine to become available,” said prostate cancer patient Harold Fowler. “My family and I met with Dr. Rodney Ellis, my radiation oncologist here in Cape Coral, Florida, and we all agreed that waiting for this machine was the choice best suited to our situation. I’m ready to begin the treatment plan with this machine as soon as it becomes available.”
Findings published in JAMA Oncology demonstrated the superiority of MRIdian MRI guidance in stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for localized prostate cancer compared to CT-guided SBRT. The study involving 156 patients:
- Overall, the radiation toxicity rate was 19% lower with MRI guidance compared to CT. This indicates MRIdian offers more concentrated treatment while protecting healthy tissue surrounding dangerous cancer cells.
- 50% fewer patients in the MRI group reported a decrease in bowel-related quality of life compared to the CT group. This indicates side effects occur less frequently with MRIdian.
The MRIdian system improves traditional linear accelerator machines used for decades to provide effective radiation therapy. MRIdian acquires a new on-table MRI scan in seconds, precisely adapts the plan, and personalizes the dose delivery to fit the patient’s anatomy that day. When tumors or nearby critical structures abruptly change position, MRIdian’s real-time, 3D tissue tracking and automated radiation beam control instantly reacts, automatically turning the radiation beam off, providing confidence that prescribed doses reach the tumor while avoiding healthy tissue. This ensures only the affected areas receive radiation by protecting the surrounding healthy cells from extraneous radiation.
After learning of the efficacy of the MRIdian system from GenesisCare physicians, at least 15 patients have elected to delay initiating radiation therapy until MRIdian starts treating patients at the Fort Myers location.
“We are thrilled to launch the MRIdian system at GenesisCare Fort Myers so patients can access advanced radiotherapy right here in Southwest Florida. The ability to view and adjust beam radiation treatment in real-time will help our patients receive effective treatments with potentially fewer side effects and fewer treatment sessions than other modalities,” said Dr. Rodney Ellis, Radiation Oncologist for GenesisCare. “Radiation therapy, which typically includes 30 or more sessions, poses a significant burden on patients and their families, whether taking time off work or spending time and money on travel. MRIdian can help reduce that burden so patients can complete their treatment in less time and get their lives back.”
GenesisCare continues to tackle the biggest cancer challenges in the United States, as the MRIdian system is one of the industry-leading treatment methods for inoperable pancreatic cancer—one of the most fatal forms of cancer. MRIdian is also revolutionizing radiation therapy for prostate cancer, which affects 1 in 8 men in the United States and is the second-leading cause of death from cancer among U.S. men.
Florida is projected to have the second-highest number of both prostate cancer cases and prostate cancer deaths in 2023 (American Cancer Society, 2023), so the deployment will have a significant impact on local residents. The MRIdian at GenesisCare Fort Myers also could serve patients from around the country. The clinic is 14 miles from Southwest Florida International Airport, recently rated the No. 1 airport in the U.S. by Travel Lens. GenesisCare Fort Myers also is the first MRIdian location that is neither in a major city nor in an academic medical center, demonstrating GenesisCare’s commitment to making advanced cancer treatment choices more broadly available in previously underserved areas.
For more information: www.genesiscare.com/us
May 17, 2024 
