April 8, 2008 - Accuray Inc. said today that a study published in the April 1 issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics - also known as the Red Journal - demonstrates that the CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System can serve as a noninvasive means for delivering high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy dosing.
The study supports the CyberKnife System’s clinical flexibility in treating prostate cancer and expands the noninvasive options available to clinicians and patients.
HDR brachytherapy has been shown to be an extremely effective approach for treating prostate cancer, with substantial clinical evidence supporting its usage. Nevertheless, the required insertion of multiple catheters into the prostate, where they remain for the duration of the procedure (typically one-three days), makes it an invasive procedure.
This study demonstrates the CyberKnife System’s ability to noninvasively deliver complex HDR-like radiation dose sculpting to the prostate, without the need for hospitalization or anesthesia, maximizing patient comfort and convenience. Early clinical outcomes of the study show a rapid reduction in prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels with minimal short-term side effects, said the company.
“HDR brachytherapy is an effective, accepted treatment for prostate cancer, but adoption has been limited because it is a difficult procedure for clinicians to deliver and for patients to undergo,” said Donald B. Fuller, M.D., radiation oncologist, CyberKnife Centers of San Diego and Radiation Medical Group, and principal investigator in the study. “Our study concluded that CyberKnife radiosurgery can offer the benefits of HDR brachytherapy non-invasively on an outpatient basis that is both easy to deliver and comfortable for patients.”
For more information: www.accuray.com
