Study Highlights CyberKnife Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT): Noninvasive Brachytherapy-like Treatment for Prostate Cancer

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Jan. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Accuray Incorporated ARAY -0.45% , the premier radiation oncology company, today announced publication of a study describing the clinical outcomes of prostate cancer patients treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) using Accuray's CyberKnife® Robotic Radiosurgery System in a manner that uniquely mimics HDR (high dose rate) brachytherapy dosing within the prostate gland. The University of California--San Francisco (UCSF) study, published in the January 2012 issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology - Biology - Physics (IJROBP) (commonly known as the Red Journal), employed a radiation dose scheme mimicking that of conventional invasive HDR brachytherapy to deliver high doses of radiation to regions of the prostate known to have a higher burden of prostate cancer cells instead of delivering a single uniform dose to the prostate. Patients with organ confined prostate cancer were treated in four short outpatient treatment sessions. Historically, HDR brachytherapy has been shown to be an effective treatment for prostate cancer, but requires the insertion of invasive catheters into the prostate making this treatment difficult for patients and technically challenging for physicians, limiting its widespread adoption. The CyberKnife System is able to easily and quickly mimic this proven treatment in a noninvasive manner because of its ability to easily create and paint complex doses within the prostate.

The study, "Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy as Monotherapy or Post-External Beam Radiotherapy Boost for Prostate Cancer: Technique, Early Toxicity, and PSA Response," reported on 38 patients ranging in age from 54 to 82 years with a minimum follow-up of 12 months. Twenty of the 38 patients were treated with CyberKnife SBRT monotherapy and 18 were treated with CyberKnife SBRT boost following external beam radiotherapy (EBRT).

source: MarketWatch