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Replies to #50331 on Biotech Values
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Tina

07/29/07 10:09 AM

#50332 RE: drbio45 #50331

Unfortunately, at the moment, I have a paper to write for school but I will review this product more closely soon. From what I've glanced at so far, they are not identical in how they operate.

I also noticed taking a quick glance at the Gamma Knife Centers that none of the top rated cancer facilities in the USA offered this service.

Gamma knife surgery for neurocytoma.Yen CP, Sheehan J, Patterson G, Steiner L.
Lars Leksell Center for Gamma Surgery, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908, USA.

OBJECT: Although considered benign tumors, neurocytomas have various biological behaviors, histological patterns, and clinical courses. In the last 15 years, fractionated radiotherapy and radiosurgery in addition to microsurgery have been used in their management. In this study, the authors present their experience using Gamma Knife surgery (GKS) in the treatment of these tumors. METHODS: Between 1989 and 2004, the authors performed GKS in seven patients with a total of nine neurocytomas. Three patients harbored five recurrent tumors after a gross-total resection, three had progression of previous partially resected tumors, and one had undergone a tumor biopsy only. The mean tumor volume at the time of GKS ranged from 1.4 to 19.8 cm3 (mean 6.0 cm3). A mean peripheral dose of 16 Gy was prescribed to the tumor margin with the median isodose configuration of 32.5%. RESULTS: After a mean follow-up period of 60 months, four of the nine tumors treated disappeared and four shrank significantly. Because of secondary hemorrhage, an accurate tumor volume could not be determined in one. Four patients were asymptomatic during the follow-up period, and the condition of the patient who had residual hemiparesis from a previous transcortical resection of the tumor was stable. Additionally, the patient who experienced tumor hemorrhage required a shunt revision, and another patient died of sepsis due to a shunt infection.CONCLUSIONS: Based on this limited experience, GKS seems to be an appropriate management alternative. It offers control over the tumor with the benefits of minimal invasiveness and low morbidity rates. Recurrence, however, is not unusual following both microsurgery and GKS. Open-ended follow-up imaging is required to detect early recurrence and determine the need for retreatment.




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Tina

07/31/07 10:44 AM

#50414 RE: drbio45 #50331

http://facility-services.state.nc.us/031507BrodyCyberKnife.pdf

"Cyberknife is a robotic radio-surgery system used to treat cancer lesions that are too large or inaccessible for the Gamma Knife, as well as tumors in the lungs, liver, pancreas, prostate, kidney, adrenal gland and spine. The Cyberknife system allows many patients to avoid surgery for surgically complex tumors."