SUNNYVALE, Calif., announced today that Accuray Incorporated (Nasdaq: ARAY), the premier radiation oncology company, announced today that doctors at Instituto Neurologico de Colombia (INDEC) in Medellin, Colombia are now treating patients using the first and only robotic radiosurgery system designed to treat cancerous and non-cancerous tumors anywhere in the body, including the head, spine, lung, prostate, liver and pancreas. INDEC is the first center in South America to offer the CyberKnife® Robotic Radiosurgery System, which today is used as an alternative to both conventional radiation therapy and surgery at leading centers around the world.
INDEC began treating patients with their CyberKnife System in May 2012 and to date they have treated patients with intracranial, prostate, spine, lung and liver tumors. Patients treated at INDEC represent the first in South America to receive radiosurgical treatment for both intracranial and extracranial tumors. The first patient was a patient from Bolivia who was treated for a tumor in his spine that was untreatable with the available technologies in his country.
"We take pride in offering a team of highly specialized physicians that work with the most advanced cancer treatment options available," said David Gomez, radiotherapist and director of the Cyberknife unit at INDEC. "The Cyberknife System represents the next step in innovative cancer treatment by allowing our physicians to offer the most personalized care delivered with unparalleled accuracy, ensuring that each patient receives the best treatment available."
"According to the global business intelligence firm GlobalData, the worldwide radiation therapy market is expected to reach more than $3.6 billion by 2018. A critical part of this growth is increasing need and demand in emerging markets," said Euan S. Thomson, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of Accuray. "The installation at INDEC marks the first use of the CyberKnife System in South America and an important milestone for Accuray as we expand our presence into this important region. We look forward to continuing to capture market share and increase access to our advanced radiation therapy options for patients around the world."
The CyberKnife System provides treatment for robotic radiosurgery and SBRT and works by delivering high doses of radiation to tumors with extreme precision, essentially "painting" just the tumor with radiation while sparing surrounding healthy tissue and thereby reducing potential side effects. The CyberKnife System's unique ability to not only track, but also automatically correct for, unpredictable movement of tumors during treatment minimizes radiation exposure to healthy tissues and helps patients avoid many side effects typically associated with other radiation options.
Backed by hundreds of peer-reviewed studies supporting its safety and efficacy, the CyberKnife System provides a pain-free, non-invasive option for patients who are looking for an alternative to surgery and for patients who have inoperable or surgically complex tumors. In addition, the CyberKnife System is increasingly being used as an alternative to conventional radiation therapy, allowing for a shorter course of treatment. CyberKnife treatment is typically completed in just one to five days, instead of the 40 or more treatment sessions typically required with conventional radiation therapy, and, unlike surgery, requires no recovery time.
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