October 26 1998  


 

PHOENIX, AR -- Carlos A. Perez, M.D., director of radiology at Mallinckrodt Institute in St. Louis, MO, will present today an update on the work being conducted by the HDR Prostate Symposium, the medical community's first organized effort to share information and define standards of care for the use of HDR brachytherapy in the treatment of prostate cancer. Perez, a leading radiation oncologist in brachytherapy, is the spokesperson for the Symposium.


High Dose Rate (HDR) brachytherapy is a targeted form of internal radiation in which a radiation source is temporarily inserted into a prostate tumor, sparing the healthy tissues and organs that surround it. This method is usually performed on an out-patient basis and greatly reduces the incidence of significant side effects such as incontinence and impotence.


Radiation oncologists representing 17 different medical institutions across the United States and Canada are participating in the HDR Prostate Symposium to exchange clinical experience including information on dosages, implant distributions, other medical techniques, and patient outcomes in order to develop uniform standards of care that will benefit doctors and patients worldwide.


"We have seen a widespread increase in the use of HDR to treat prostate cancer over the last 3-5 years," said Perez. "By consolidating our knowledge,we can use HDR to treat more men more effectively."


The HDR Prostate Symposium is sponsored by Nucletron Corporation, a worldwide leader in radiotherapy and radiation oncology systems. Nucletron will facilitate information exchange between the symposium and the international radiation oncologist community.


Dr. Perez will present an update from the HDR Prostate Symposium on Monday, October 26th from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m., at the Phoenix Hyatt Regency, the ASTRO show hotel located directly across the street from the "Phoenix Convention Center". This update follows the symposium's second meeting in California on October 16, 1998. If you would like to receive more information on the Nucletron Prostate Symposium, please contact Nina Yerge at Nucletron at 410-312-4100.


Nucletron Corporation, worldwide leader in radiotherapy systems, specializes in some of the most innovative products used for cancer treatment, including the equipment and technology for HDR brachytherapy. Nucletron is considered the world leader in brachytherapy, supplying 75 percent of all remote afterloading systems internationally. The company has 11 offices worldwide, including its corporate headquarters in The Netherlands. The American division, headquartered in Columbia, MD, serves the United States, Mexico and Canada.