SUNNYVALE, Calif., June 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) School of Veterinary Medicine team is advancing cancer care as the first to treat an animal using the Radixact® System with Synchrony®. Accuray (NASDAQ: ARAY) announced today that Mac, a Fox Terrier Mix, is doing well following radiotherapy treatment for recurrent lung cancer. The addition of the artificial intelligence (AI)-driven Synchrony to the Radixact System made it possible to track the tumor in real-time as it moved with Mac's breathing and automatically adapt the radiation beam to keep it targeted on the tumor. Precise and accurate radiation dose delivery enabled the entire treatment to be completed in just three short visits to the hospital, allowing Mac to quickly get back to activities with his human companion.
Clinician skill and the right technology deliver results
The TomoTherapy® platform was originally invented at UW-Madison with the goal of developing a more accurate radiation therapy device for treating cancer. Successful clinical trials in pet dogs with nasal tumors conducted by the UW-Madison veterinary care team led to the platform's widespread use in human medicine worldwide. The team recently upgraded to the Radixact System, following more than 10 years' experience with a previous generation of the TomoTherapy platform device, and installed the Accuray-only Synchrony capability.
"Mac's story is one of resilience and positivity in the face of cancer. He has been fighting lung cancer for two years now and has been a truly inspiring character the entire time. In dogs, when we identify a cancerous lesion within the lungs, we often surgically remove the affected lung lobe. Over the last two years, as Mac's cancer progressed, we were forced to remove around half of his lung capacity. When a new lesion was identified, we were put in a tough spot as surgery was not a safe option after removing that much of Mac's lung capacity. A precise, stereotactic body radiation therapy protocol was likely going to be the next best option," said Dr. Nathaniel Van Asselt, clinical assistant professor at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine. "Because we knew Mac's tumor was going to move during respiration, we were able to successfully employ Radixact with Synchrony to track the tumor and minimize irradiating dose to normal surrounding lung tissue. We are excited to use this system in future patients whose tumors may move during radiotherapy treatments, such as lung, liver, adrenal and prostate tumors."
Added Dr. Lisa Forrest, professor and head of UW Veterinary Care's Radiation Oncology Service, "With the Radixact System and Synchrony technology, we can now treat tumors and minimize dose to healthy tissue with more confidence and more accuracy. In addition, the real-time tracking and adaptation open up opportunities for targeting tumors in areas of the body we previously couldn't treat, including cancers in the abdomen and thorax, where the close proximity of vital organs and other sensitive tissues made radiation therapy difficult or impossible."
Radixact System with Synchrony expands treatment options
The Radixact System was designed to provide care teams with the tools they need to make the planning and delivery of radiation easy, efficient and effective for hypofractionated and conventionally fractionated radiotherapy treatments. The addition of Synchrony to the Radixact System takes this versatility one step further by enabling the delivery of highly accurate radiation dose to tumors that move as a result of bodily processes, including respiration and digestion, as well as patient movement. The clinical team can now treat virtually any case for which radiotherapy is prescribed.
"The global Accuray team is passionate about finding new ways we can offer hope to cancer patients and the people who love them," said Suzanne Winter, chief commercial officer and senior vice president, R&D at Accuray. "We value our strong collaborative relationship with the UW-Madison Veterinary Medicine team and look forward to continuing to partner with them to improve the care they provide their cancer patients. The addition of Synchrony® to their Radixact® System will enable the team to extend the benefits of radiotherapy treatments to more families' pets, many of whom would have been without options."
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About the UW School of Veterinary Medicine
The University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine provides outstanding programs in veterinary medical education, research, clinical practice and service that enhance the health and welfare of both animals and people. The school opened its doors in 1983 and has since graduated more than 2,500 veterinarians. Its teaching hospital, UW Veterinary Care, sees nearly 28,000 patient visits annually across more than 20 specialty services.
About Accuray
Accuray is committed to expanding the powerful potential of radiation therapy to improve as many lives as possible. We invent unique, market-changing solutions designed to deliver radiation treatments for even the most complex cases—while making commonly treatable cases even easier—to meet the full spectrum of patient needs. We are dedicated to continuous innovation in radiation therapy for oncology, neuro-radiosurgery, and beyond, as we partner with clinicians and administrators, empowering them to help patients get back to their lives, faster. Accuray is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, with facilities worldwide. To learn more, visit www.accuray.com or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube.
Safe Harbor Statement
Statements made in this press release that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements and are subject to the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements in this press release relate, but are not limited, to the ability of the Radixact System to expand treatment to more patients, including pets, clinical applications, clinical results, patient experiences and patient outcomes. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. If any of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if any of the company's assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the company's ability to achieve widespread market acceptance of its products; the company's ability to develop new products or improve existing products to meet customers' needs; the company's ability to anticipate or keep pace with changes in the marketplace and the direction of technological innovation and customer demands and such other risks identified under the heading "Risk Factors" in the company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on April 30, 2021, and as updated periodically with the company's other filings with the SEC.
Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statements are made and are based on information available to the company at the time those statements are made and/or management's good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events. The company assumes 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. Accordingly, investors should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements.
Media Contacts
Beth Kaplan
Public Relations Director, Accuray
+1 (408) 789-4426
bkaplan@accuray.com
Christy Maginn
Havas
+1 (703) 297-7194
christina.maginn@havas.com
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SOURCE Accuray Incorporated
