For Immediate Use Sept. 23, 1998
Kim Irwin ([email protected]), (310) 206-2805
Kambra McConnel ([email protected]) (310) 206-3769
NOTE TO EDITORS: Press availability 10 a.m. to noon today at 200 Medical Plaza, UCLA, with demonstrations of new device and computer guidance system and physician interview opportunities.
UCLA SURGEONS TO WIELD POWERFUL NEW WEAPON THAT OFFERS HOPE TO PATIENTS WITH BRAIN TUMORS
Calling it the most significant advance in radiosurgery technology in a decade, physicians at UCLA's Jonsson Cancer Center today opened the first facility in the United States offering BrainLAB's Novalis -- a shaped beam surgery system designed to treat brain tumors.
Shaped beam surgery uses precise and detailed computer-generated images that exactly mirror the shape and size of a patient's tumor. Each beam of radiation conforms to the tumor's dimensions, specifically targeting and -- unlike conventional beam radiation -- treating diseased tissue while leaving nearby healthy tissue unharmed.
The precision and flexibility of the new system also allows UCLA Cancer Center physicians to deliver relatively small doses of radiation over the course of several days of treatment, enabling neurosurgeons to treat large tumors and lower the risk of complications and side effects.
"This is a major breakthrough in radiosurgery," said Dr. Antonio De Salles, an associate professor in UCLA's Division of Neurosurgery and chief of Stereotactic Surgery. "A shaped beam gives us the highest degree of precision, so we know we're reaching every part of the tumor. As for the patient, the procedure is done in 30 minutes and they go home knowing they've received the best treatment available in the U.S."
The state-of-the-art technology begins operation at UCLA as the number of people nationwide diagnosed with brain tumors continues to increase. In 1997, an estimated 114,000 people were diagnosed with brain tumors, an increase of more than 5 percent since 1995, according to officials at the national Central Brain Tumor Registry.
While the first U.S. application of this new technology at UCLA initially focuses on brain surgery, where the precision and accuracy provided by Novalis are vital, experts predict a wide range of uses throughout the body in the near future.
"We know radiosurgery is very effective in the brain, and we feel confident that it will be as effective in other areas of the body," said Dr. Tim Solberg, co-director of UCLA's Radiosurgery Program and a member of the Jonsson Cancer Center.
UCLA researchers expect to launch in the near future clinical trials using Novalis to attack cancers in the neck, spinal cord and prostate, Solberg said.
Novalis manufacturer BrainLAB, a German-based company, is a leading innovator in the development and distribution of medical equipment and software systems for neurosurgery. In 1996, BrainLAB partnered with Varian, an international electronics company and the world's largest vendor of medical linear accelerators, to develop Novalis.
Persons interested in setting up appointments or consultations regarding Novalis can call UCLA physicians at (310) 825-9775 or (310) 794-1221.
-UCLA-
For more information about UCLA's Jonsson Cancer Center, its people and resources, visit our web site at http://www.cancer.mednet.ucla.edu. For more information on Novalis, visit BrainLAB's web site at http://www.brainlab.com.
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