SUNNYVALE, Calif., Aug. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Accuray Incorporated , a global leader in the field of radiosurgery, announced today that emerging clinical data continues to support CyberKnife radiosurgery for the treatment of lung cancer, following a study published in the July 2008 issue of Clinical Lung Cancer. As scientific evidence mounts, physician usage and patient demand are increasing dramatically -- over the past 12 month period, the number of lung patients treated with the CyberKnife System has grown by nearly 50 percent and more than 6,000 lung cancer patients have been treated to date.
The study, titled “Fractionated Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy in the Treatment of Primary, Recurrent, and Metastatic Lung Tumors,” was conducted at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) in Pittsburgh, Pa., and followed three patient populations over an average 12 month period: 1) patients with primary stage I non-small cell lung cancer, 2) patients whose cancer recurred after it was surgically removed, and 3) patients with metastatic tumors in the lung. All patients were treated with CyberKnife radiosurgery over a three-day period as outpatients. These patients had limited treatment options because they were medically inoperable (unable to undergo surgery due to pre-existing medical conditions or prior surgery) or refused surgery.
The tumor control and survival outcomes were excellent in the first year following treatment. Control of tumor growth was achieved in 85 percent of primary cancer patients, 92 percent of recurrent lung cancer patients, and 62 percent of metastatic cancer patients during the first year of follow-up. This is drastically different from response rates for radiation therapy in this patient population, which are typically associated with poor local control and survival rates ranging from 10 to 30 percent at five-year follow-up, as noted within the study.
Additionally the study reported few of the complications or side effects that are typical with radiation or other more invasive treatments within the first 12 months of follow-up. Both invasive surgery and conventional radiation therapy can be associated with post-treatment complications that can negatively impact a patient’s quality of life. In addition, unlike conventional radiation therapy that is typically delivered over four to six weeks, patients completed CyberKnife treatment in three short outpatient visits. This is extremely significant for patients with a potentially life-threatening disease because it allows them to preserve their lifestyle and spend their time with family instead of taking trips to and from the hospital and spending months in treatment.
“The CyberKnife System’s ability to non-invasively treat lung cancer with favorable local control rates and minimal toxicities make it an important tool in the fight against lung cancer,” said Dwight Heron, M.D., chairman of the radiation oncology department at UPMC Shadyside. “As demonstrated by our study, this is particularly important for patients who previously had few or no other options because it gives them a chance for a positive outcome while maintaining their quality of life.”
UPMC treated all the study participants using the Synchrony(R) Respiratory Tracking System, which is the only System in the world that can deliver beams that physically move in real-time with 3D tumor motion. The technology allows patients to breath normally throughout the treatment, while still achieving pinpoint precision and minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue. According to the study, Synchrony “can allow for reductions in planning target volume margins because of less movement uncertainty while maintaining the desired level of accuracy.”
“With each year that clinical studies are completed and published, we see physician confidence increase and patient demand grow dramatically,” said Euan S. Thomson, Ph.D., president and CEO of Accuray Incorporated. “This increase in momentum for CyberKnife radiosurgery worldwide is offering physicians a better way to treat lung cancer and patients a better option for a quick and complication-free recovery.”
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States and will account for approximately 29 percent of all cancer deaths in 2008. In fact, since 1987 more women have died each year from lung cancer than from breast cancer. The ACS projects that more than 215,000 new cases of lung cancer will be discovered in 2008, accounting for 15 percent of all cancer diagnoses.
About the CyberKnife(R) Robotic Radiosurgery System
The CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System is the world’s only robotic radiosurgery system designed to treat tumors anywhere in the body non-invasively. Using continual image guidance technology and computer controlled robotic mobility, the CyberKnife System automatically tracks, detects and corrects for tumor and patient movement in real-time throughout the treatment. This enables the CyberKnife System to deliver high-dose radiation with pinpoint precision, which minimizes damage to surrounding healthy tissue and eliminates the need for invasive head or body stabilization frames.
About Accuray
Accuray Incorporated , based in Sunnyvale, Calif., is a global leader in the field of radiosurgery dedicated to providing an improved quality of life and a non-surgical treatment option for those diagnosed with cancer. Accuray develops and markets the CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System, which extends the benefits of radiosurgery to include extracranial tumors, including those in the spine, lung, prostate, liver and pancreas. To date, the CyberKnife System has been used to treat more than 40,000 patients worldwide and currently more than 130 systems have been installed in leading hospitals in the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit http://www.accuray.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
The foregoing may contain certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including uncertainties associated with the medical device industry. Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statements are made and are based on information available at the time those statements are made and/or management’s good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events. You should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual performance and results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements we make include: risks associated with acquisitions, including integration and assimilation risks and the risk that anticipated benefits of acquisitions may not be achieved; market acceptance of products; competing products, the combination of our products with complementary technology; and other risks detailed from time to time under the heading “Risk Factors” in our report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2007 as updated from time to time by our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company’s actual results of operations may differ significantly from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements as a result of these and other factors. We assume no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual performance or results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking information, except to the extent required by applicable securities laws.
CONTACT: Susan Lehman of Rockpoint Public Relations, +1-510-832-6006,
susan@rockpointpr.com, for Accuray Incorporated; or Stephanie Tomei, Public
Relations Manager of Accuray Incorporated, +1-408-789-4234,
stomei@accuray.com
Web site: http://www.accuray.com/
