With cancer rates on the rise, more scientists and health professionals are realizing and acting on the growing need for personalized cancer care. No two tumors respond the same way when subjected to chemotherapy, surgery, therapeutics or radiation therapy, and generalizing the efficacy of currently available treatment options across millions of patients has proven to be more costly than beneficial. A medical device company based in Cleveland has just launched a groundbreaking contribution to patient-centered healthcare.
ViewRay Inc. has announced the integration of the MRIdian™ system in the first ever on-table adaptive radiation treatment program at the Siteman Cancer Center in the Barnes-Jewish Hospital, and at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. This patented system is indicated for cancer care, and combines the continuous imaging technique of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and radiation therapy.
The Siteman Cancer Center began utilizing the MRIdian system earlier this year in January, and has since then been able to successfully target over 20 regions on patients’ bodies. The center is now a global pioneer in offering this service, in light of personalizing patient cancer care. While the Siteman Cancer Center is the first in the world to offer the MRIdian system, ViewRay has recently supplied more centers across the country, including the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at University of Miami, the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center.
Some of the system’s highlights are its MRI capabilities, soft-tissue monitoring, and real-time treatment planning. These technologies enable attending oncologists to implement day-to-day modifications to a patient’s prescribed regimen. Additionally, the MRIdian system reduces harmful X-ray exposure.
The Chief Executive Officer of ViewRay, Chris A. Raanes, believes that personalized treatment requires that plenty of room for modification of plans, according to ongoing assessment. He thinks the MRIdian system offers precisely that.
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Dr. Jeffrey Olsen, a radiation oncologist from the Siteman Cancer Center and Washington University School of Medicine, said that the continuous soft-tissue visualization the MRIdian system offers has allowed physicians to monitor anatomical changes and alterations in radiation dose distribution. Through these real-time assessments, it is now possible to reevaluate existing plans and adjust accordingly.
In conjunction with improved radiation therapy, researchers are also working on ways to ease side effects of radiotherapy, such as radiation dermatitis. Last month, Reata Pharmaceuticals‘ PRIMROSE clinical trial enrolled its first patient who will be trying their RTA 408 Lotion specially formulated for this type of skin irritation.
