May 19 2010  |  News Release 

Confirmed better biological control with loose seeds brachytherapy. 

New research demonstrates optimized biological control achieved with loose seeds brachytherapy over stranded seeds. A group at the University Medical Center (UMC) Utrecht, The Netherlands, compared prostate cancer disease control rates, achieved with loose and stranded seeds (respectively via robotic and manual insertion) in low dose rate brachytherapy (sometimes referred to as “seeds” or permanent brachytherapy). This new publication provides important long term follow up data of patients receiving permanent brachytherapy for prostate cancer. It shows that the use of loose compared to stranded seeds results in a statistically significant 43% reduction in the risk of prostate cancer recurrence (defined by biological control).

According to Prof. Dr. Battermann, leading radiotherapist at UMC Utrecht, many more patients could benefit from brachytherapy in the treatment of prostate cancer than is currently the case. ”Brachytherapy is an excellent treatment for many patients with localized prostate cancer. In our experience, even patients with higher risk prostate cancer can achieve very good results.” Various studies show brachytherapy brings excellent long term outcomes in terms of efficacy and minimized side effects and disruption in quality of life.

Later this year Nucletron will release a complete prostate brachytherapy solution, offering significant improvements for both HDR and seed (LDR) brachytherapy. Nucletron will be providing an all-in-one solution for prostate brachytherapy, combining treatment planning, and imaging possibilities for both HDR and seed (LDR) techniques on one platform.


Oncentra Seeds is the next generation of seeds planning software, integrating the latest advances to provide  a new level of precision in seed brachytherapy. Oncentra Prostate is the industry leading real-time treatment planning software for HDR (and PDR) prostate brachytherapy. It offers a streamlined and fast real-time workflow for improved throughput and efficiency.
 

Please contact your local Nucletron office for additional information or an early preview of new treatment options.

1 Karel A. Hinnen, et al. Loose seeds versus stranded seeds in I-125 prostate brachytherapy: Differences in clinical outcome.,  Radiother Oncol. 2010, In Press, (ePub ahead of press).

About Brachytherapy
Brachytherapy is a high-precision radiation therapy, in which the radiation source used to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors is placed in or close to the tumor itself. Brachytherapy offers a precise, highly effective and well tolerated treatment option tailored to the needs of individual patients. The precision brachytherapy approach allows a physician to concentrate a high dose of radiation in a small area, minimizing damage to nearby, healthy body tissue and organs, over a shorter treatment period. Find more about brachytherapy on http://www.aboutbrachytherapy.com/.

About Nucletron
Nucletron provides state-of-the-art radiotherapy solutions for cancer treatment that meet the evolving needs of patients, their careers and healthcare professionals around the world. Nucletron has unmatched global leadership in brachytherapy, a very precise, highly effective and well tolerated treatment option tailored to the needs of individual patients and able to meet the requirements of healthcare providers. We work with clinical teams to constantly improve and develop an innovative portfolio of integrated products, software and services that assures excellent patient outcomes. Headquartered in Veenendaal, the Netherlands, Nucletron employs more than 500 employees, with offices in 15 countries and products available in more than 100 countries around the world. Please visit http://www.nucletron.com/ to learn more about our healthcare solutions.