Early Results Favorable For 5-day Radiation Treatment Of Early Stage Prostate Cancer

Fairfax, Va., March 16, 2009 – Preliminary results show that a shortened course
of radiation therapy for prostate cancer called stereotactic body radiation therapy
(SBRT) provides good PSA response for early-stageprostate cancer and has
the same side effects as other treatments, according to a March 15 study in the
International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, the official journal
of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO). Study authors caution
that further follow-up will be necessary to establish that SBRT is as effective in
the long term as other proven treatments.

Radiation therapy is an effective way to treat localized prostate cancer. Proven
successful treatments include brachytherapy (seed implants) where radiation
sources are placed directly into the prostate and external beam radiation therapy
where doctors give small daily doses of radiation to the prostate,
five days a week, for eight weeks to give enough radiation to kill the cancer
cells while sparing nearby healthy tissue.

source: ASTRO

Varian Medical Systems to Exhibit Cancer Treatment and X-ray Imaging Technologies at China Med Exhibition

BEIJING, March 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Varian Medical Systems, Inc. (NYSE: VAR) will showcase the full spectrum of the company's cancer treatment and X-ray imaging products, including some made available for the first time in China, at the upcoming China Med 21st International Medical Instruments and Equipment Exhibition in Beijing from March 19-21.

Varian will exhibit:

* The Clinac iX medical linear accelerator, a radiation therapy machine that was introduced into China last year. This treatment machine incorporates a three-dimensional X-ray imager to improve tumor targeting. It can also be upgraded to deliver RapidArc(TM) radiotherapy, which enables doctors to deliver highly-precise image-guided radiotherapy treatments two to eight times faster than was previously possible.
* Varian's market-leading medical software products, including Eclipse(TM) radiotherapy treatment planning software and ARIA(R) cancer treatment management software.
* The GammaMedplus(TM) afterloader, a machine for delivering brachytherapy, which is a way of treating cancer by placing tiny radiation sources directly into a targeted tumor.

source: Varian

Early Results Favorable For Five-Day Radiation Treatment Of Early-Stage Prostate Cancer

Preliminary results show that a shortened course of radiation therapy for prostate cancer called stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) provides good PSA response for early-stage prostate cancer and has the same side effects as other treatments, according to a March 15 study in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology * Biology * Physics, the official journal of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO). Study authors caution that further follow-up will be necessary to establish that SBRT is as effective in the long term as other proven treatments.

Radiation therapy is an effective way to treat localized prostate cancer. Proven successful treatments include brachytherapy (seed implants) where radiation sources are placed directly into the prostate and external beam radiation therapy where doctors give small daily doses of radiation to the prostate, five days a week, for eight weeks to give enough radiation to kill the cancer cells while sparing nearby healthy tissue.

source: ASTRO

ASTRO's Patient Education Program Wins National Award

The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) has been selected as one of only 21 organizations nationwide to receive an Award of Excellence in the first round of the 2009 Associations Advance America (AAA) Awards, which is a national competition sponsored by the American Society of Association Executives and the Center for Association Leadership in Washington.

ASTRO's patient outreach program was honored with an AAA Award for its efforts to help cancer patients understand the complexity of radiation therapy treatment and is now in the running to receive a Summit Award, which is ASAE and the Center's top recognition for association programs.

"ASTRO is very committed to helping patients better understand how radiation therapy works and to giving our members the tools to explain this complex, yet very effective treatment to their patients in an easy to understand way," Laura I. Thevenot, ASTRO CEO, said. "We are extremely proud to be recognized by ASAE with an AAA Award for our hard work in helping cancer patients decipher their treatment options."

source: American Society for Radiation Oncology

New treatment for prostate cancer allows greater precision in targeting radiation

SYRACUSE, N.Y.— University Hospital of SUNY Upstate Medical University is first hospital in the region to offer the a new treatment for prostate cancer that allows clinicians to accurately manage the delivery of radiation to prostate cancer tumors. Also referred to as “GPS for the Body,” the Calypso 4D Localization System provides for the delivery of precision‑guided radiation therapy to the prostate with continuous, objective, organ‑motion detection and monitoring.

According to Jeffrey Bogart, M.D., professor and chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at SUNY Upstate, organ motion, which naturally occurs as a result of normal body physiology—such as the bladder filling—may cause the prostate to move slightly, potentially compromising the precise delivery of radiation during treatment.

“The Calypso system enables physicians to detect the slightest tumor movement in real‑time so accurate radiation therapy can be delivered while reducing the risk of damage to healthy surrounding organs and tissues, which can lead to common side effects such as bladder irritation and changes in bowel function,” Bogart said.

source: SUNY Upstate Medical University