October 5, 2018 — Leading oncology experts from around the world recently met to discuss the integration of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with radiation therapy and its potential to extend life expectancy and reduce common side effects in many cancer patients. ViewRay Inc. — maker of MRIdian, the world's first U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-cleared, MRI-guided radiation therapy system — and Miami Cancer Institute, co-hosted experts from research hospitals at the cutting-edge of cancer treatment at the Sept. 28 symposium and panel discussion.
Presenters and panel participants included:
- Minesh Mehta, M.D., chief of radiation oncology, and Michael Chuong, M.D., director of radiation oncology clinical research and education, at Miami Cancer Institute, a part of Baptist Health South Florida;
- Michael Bassetti, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of radiation oncology at University of Wisconsin, Carbone Cancer Center; and
- Raymond Wynn, M.D., FACR, professor and vice chair of network operations in the department of radiation oncology at Loyola University Medical Center.
"Seldom do we see this much excitement around a technology," Mehta said. "For the first time, we're able to see high-contrast soft tissue images that clearly delineate tumors from the surrounding healthy organs. This allows us to deliver radiation more precisely, and in some cases, may even allow us to increase the radiation dose to more aggressively fight the cancer."
"MRIdian has taken much of the guesswork out of radiation therapy. Its visualization and adaptive abilities are of benefit in treating many types of cancer, but they are especially vital when treating tumors that move significantly during treatment, such as tumors in the lung or liver. We can now watch the changes within the body in real-time and respond accordingly," Chuong said. "This leads to more accurate treatment of the tumor and minimizes irradiation of nearby normal tissues, potentially reducing the side effects."
"This technology is a true game-changer, and we are honored to be the first center in Illinois and first community practice nationwide to offer it to our patients," Wynn said. "MRI-guided radiation therapy enables us to deliver more accurate and effective radiation doses, in fewer sessions, while sparing healthy tissue. This now makes what was science fiction a science reality."
"Seeing the tumor and surrounding healthy tissues and organs in great detail allows us to adapt the treatment in order to improve dosing and accuracy," Bassetti said. "Early results in pancreatic cancer suggest that the ability to deliver higher radiation doses with adaptive MRI-guided radiation therapy may improve patient survival while maintaining low toxicity. We look forward to further investigating these promising outcomes."
ViewRay has announced the launch of a multi-center prospective clinical trial in pancreatic cancer to investigate the robustness of encouraging early data in patients treated with MRI-guided radiation therapy. The study aims to track patient survival and quality of life over a five-year period. The trial is expected to open enrollment in the coming weeks.
For more information: www.viewray.com
