Accuray Incorporated has announced that two new studies demonstrate the benefits of the TomoTherapy System in the treatment of advanced rectal cancer. Radiotherapy, with or without chemotherapy, followed by surgery is the standard of care in the treatment of locally, advanced rectal cancer. However, radiation delivered to surrounding organs, such as the bowel and bladder, may lead to life-changing side effects, making it critically important for the radiation to be delivered with extreme accuracy and precision. The TomoTherapy platform, including the next-generation Radixact® System, is the only system available that is capable of helical radiation delivery — continuously delivering image-guided, intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IG-IMRT) from a full 360 degrees around the patient as the treatment table also moves — providing greater control of the radiation dose so it conforms precisely to the tumor and minimizes dose to healthy tissue.
Patients enrolled in the two studies received simultaneous daily radiation and a targeted radiation boost over a 25-day time period. The study investigators found that the TomoTherapy platform's unique architecture enabled the delivery of a high dose of radiation, directly to the tumor, through the integrated boost of radiation, while minimizing radiation to organs in close proximity to the targeted tumor. As a result, patients in the studies experienced improved treatment results and reduced side effects. These study outcomes compare favorably to conventional radiotherapy, based on results from other studies.
Study Highlights
Novel treatment approach shows promising results
The clinical teams at Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) in Lausanne, Switzerland and the Clinica Luganese in Lugano, Switzerland, reported on their retrospective analysis of patients with advanced rectal cancer treated with TomoHelical™. The study titled, "Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy delivered with helical tomotherapy under daily image guidance for rectal cancer patients: efficacy and safety in a large, multi-institutional series," was published in the Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology, and found:
"The results of our analysis are encouraging because they indicate that patients with advanced rectal cancer may have a better option for effectively treating their disease. Further studies are needed, however we believe that highly conformal radiation doses delivered with TomoHelical in combination with daily image guidance may become the new standard of care for pre-surgical treatment in patients with advanced rectal cancer," said Dr. Berardino De Bari, assistant professor and radiation oncologist in the radiation oncology department, CHUV.
Dr. De Bari shares his experience using the TomoTherapy System at this link.
Targeted radiation boost helps maintain patient quality of life
In another study, clinicians at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College in Beijing, People's Republic of China, published results of their advanced rectal cancer study titled, "Concomitant dose escalation with image-guided TomoTherapy in locally advanced mid-low rectal cancer: a single-center study," in Cancer Management and Research. Highlights of the study include:
"Surgical treatment of mid-low rectal cancer offers the best option for long-term management of the disease, though can be challenging because of the risk of damaging surrounding organs and the resulting side effects, including bleeding, fecal incontinence, sexual and urinary dysfunction, and pelvic pain," said Fuquan Zhang [professor and chairman of the radiation oncology department]. "With the simultaneous use of daily radiation and a targeted boost, delivered with TomoHelical, we were able to effectively reduce the tumor volume while preserving the sphincter and its functionality for the majority of patients in the study," continued Ke Hu [professor and vice chairman of the radiation oncology department].
Prof. Zhang shares his experience using the TomoTherapy System at this link.
"These most recent studies are a valuable addition to the available literature on the use of chemoradiation prior to surgery in the treatment of advanced rectal cancer. The treatment outcomes are extremely promising and may offer new hope to patients whose previous options were limited," said Fabienne Hirigoyenberry-Lanson, Ph.D., vice president global medical and scientific affairs, at Accuray. "The treatment regimens described in the studies reinforce the benefits of the unique capabilities of the TomoTherapy platform and what we would also expect to see with the Radixact System. With TomoHelical mode, clinical teams were able to effectively and efficiently treat the rectal tumors while minimizing side effects and importantly, their potential impact on quality of life."
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Studies support use of the Accuray’s TomoTherapy for advanced rectal cancer to improve treatment, lower side effects . Appl Rad Oncol.