CyberKnife Users' Meeting Highlights Major Clinical Data Milestones and Emerging Trends
Large Scale Study Results Presented in Prostate, Lung and Brain Tumor Treatment
SUNNYVALE, Calif., Feb. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Accuray Incorporated (Nasdaq: ARAY), a global leader in the field of radiosurgery, today announced key clinical presentation highlights from the 7th Annual CyberKnife Users' Meeting, which was held January 23-27, 2008 in Scottsdale, Ariz.
At this year's CyberKnife Users' meeting eight presentations reported on large scale studies, each with more than 100 patients with brain, lung or prostate tumors. Particular interest was expressed in prostate cancer treatment results, with multiple studies with two- and three-year follow-up that demonstrated continued and sustained reduction in prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels, and no significant side effects in men treated for prostate cancer using CyberKnife radiosurgery during that period.
"We're pleased that so much progress has been made demonstrating positive outcomes using the CyberKnife System as a non-invasive treatment option for prostate cancer, including durable PSA level reductions up to three years post-treatment," said Michael Santoro, M.D., attending urologist at Winthrop University Hospital's CyberKnife Radiosurgery Center. "Patient satisfaction with the procedure along with an excellent side effect profile is resulting in more and more patient-to-patient referrals."
Additionally lung cancer treatment using the CyberKnife System continued to draw a large amount of interest among the attendees with the presentation of experiences from clinicians around the world treating patients with lung tumors successfully with the CyberKnife System. This further validated the significant role CyberKnife treatment is playing in reshaping lung cancer care. In fact, during the meeting a majority of the institutions present expressed strong interest in the prospective clinical study that is being led by M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston comparing treatment outcomes with the CyberKnife System versus surgery in early-stage, operable lung cancer.
Along with the enthusiasm around CyberKnife extracranial treatment results, the System remains a widely accepted tool in the treatment of brain tumors. A data comparison of patients with acoustic tumors, treated by either CyberKnife or Gamma Knife radiosurgery demonstrated superior hearing preservation in the patients treated with the CyberKnife System.
"This year's CyberKnife Users' meeting featured clinical data that continue to support the growing usage of CyberKnife technology not only in cancer care, but also the treatment of pain disorders and psychological illnesses," said Eric P. Lindquist, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of Accuray Incorporated. "The meeting provided a forum for data sharing amongst some of the biggest leaders in the medical field, in an effort to provide the most safe, effective and comfortable care for patients."
Emerging CyberKnife treatment applications highlighted at the meeting demonstrated promising results treating patients with breast cancer, bone cancer, kidney cancer and various pain syndromes. Centers continue to explore these applications in the hopes of providing less invasive treatment options to their patients.
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 40,000 patients worldwide and currently more than 125 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, clinical studies, regulatory review and approval, and market acceptance and commercialization of products and services 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 2007 fiscal year, 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.
SOURCE Accuray Incorporated
02/12/2008
CONTACT: Susan Lehman of Rockpoint Public Relations, +1-510-832-6006,
susan@rockpointpr.com; or Stephanie Tomei, Public Relations Manager of Accuray
Incorporated, +1-408-789-4234, stomei@accuray.com
Web site: http://www.accuray.com