Technological Advancements Enable Highly-Complex Treatments to be Delivered
in Routine Clinical Practice
SUNNYVALE, Calif., Oct. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Accuray
Incorporated (Nasdaq: ARAY), a global leader in the field of radiosurgery,
announced today that CyberKnife Centers of San Diego has shortened prostate
cancer treatment times, while further improving the quality of treatment
plans, by upgrading one of its CyberKnife(R) Robotic Radiosurgery Systems
with the next-generation technology. CyberKnife treatment delivery for
prostate cancer, which used to take nearly two hours, now can be completed
in an hour or less, and requires only five or fewer outpatient visits.
The next generation CyberKnife technology includes a sequential
optimization planning tool for the efficient development of highly-complex
treatment plans, a higher output linear accelerator to more rapidly deliver
dose to the target, and the Iris(TM) Variable Aperture Collimator, which
enables delivery of very conformal, multi-collimator treatments. The
upgraded System also utilizes optimized path transversal technology to
support more efficient movement of the robotic linear accelerator, speeding
treatment time even more.
"The improvements to the CyberKnife System have exceeded my highest
expectations," said Donald B. Fuller, M.D., a radiation oncologist with the
CyberKnife Centers of San Diego and Radiation Medical Group. "The
combination of these sophisticated tools enables us to develop amazingly
conformal plans, and deliver them far more rapidly than before. Together
these enhancements create the most advanced CyberKnife platform in
existence - 'the next knife' if you will."
"The flexibility of the CyberKnife System has enabled us to provide a
non- invasive prostate cancer therapy that closely resembles the radiation
dose pattern delivered by high dose rate - or HDR - brachytherapy without
the pain and discomfort," said Dr. Fuller.
Historically, HDR brachytherapy has shown considerable success in
controlling many prostate cancers, optimally matching the highest radiation
dose with the greatest cancer cell burden, yet the procedure requires
multiple catheters to be inserted into the prostate, and remain there for
one to three days. Accordingly, HDR brachytherapy has left both clinicians
and patients looking for less invasive, more cost-effective alternatives.
Currently, Dr. Fuller is leading a study to further investigate both
outcomes and quality of life effects of CyberKnife radiosurgery in treating
low and intermediate risk prostate cancer using HDR-like - dose
distributions. Earlier this year he published a study in the International
Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics - also known as the Red
Journal - demonstrating the CyberKnife System's ability to non-invasively
deliver complex HDR-like radiation dose sculpting to the prostate. Initial
results of the study demonstrated a rapid reduction in prostate specific
antigen (PSA) levels as well as minimal short-term side effects.
"In addition to addressing clinicians' needs, we're always taking into
consideration the patients' experience when we develop enhancements to the
CyberKnife System," said Eric P. Lindquist, senior vice president and chief
marketing officer of Accuray. "By enabling shorter treatment times with a
non- invasive delivery, we are helping prostate cancer patients avoid
painful and lengthy procedures that can significantly impact their quality
of life."
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 (Nasdaq: ARAY), 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 50,000 patients worldwide and currently more than 140 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, including
statements relating to clinical studies, regulatory review and approval,
and commercialization of products 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: 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, 2008
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
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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.
SOURCE Accuray Incorporated
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Related links:
http://www.accuray.com/
CONTACT:
Susan Lehman, Rockpoint Public Relations,
+1-510-832-6006, susan@rockpointpr.com; or Stephanie Tomei,
Manager, Public Relations of Accuray, +1-408-789-4234,
stomei@accuray.com
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