GammaPod FDA approved for use in the US

[Gfunk6]

Doximity | FDA Clears Stereotactic Radiotherapy System for Use in Treating Breast Cancer

I don't get it.

You can do the same thing with CK/TrueBeam/Versa/Atlantic/MRidian/protons etc. etc.

Plus, all those platforms are more versatile and you don't have to worry about Al Qaeda stealing your radioactive cobalt 60 sources.

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[radiaterMike]

Doximity | FDA Clears Stereotactic Radiotherapy System for Use in Treating Breast Cancer

I don't get it.

You can do the same thing with CK/TrueBeam/Versa/Atlantic/MRidian/protons etc. etc.

Plus, all those platforms are more versatile and you don't have to worry about Al Qaeda stealing your radioactive cobalt 60 sources.

I think it places the breast in some sort of vacuum device to improve set up accuracy.

 

[BobbyHeenan]

Some academic place will get the manufacturer to put it in their department at cost and they'll publish about how great it is, but like Gfunk says, it's just not versatile enough for 90% of the clinics out there.

Aside - NSABP B-39 long term results/cosmesis has not been published. If this shows worse cosmesis (for APBI) but equal outcomes in WBRT vs. APBI, that will be bad pub for external beam APBI. Probably less skin toxicity with this machine given the large number of entry beams (though energy is lower, so maybe not?)...and the dose on B-39 (38 Gy at 3.8 BID) is probably too high (the Italian 30 Gy in 5 fractions seems better to me)...so all kinds of caveats...but won't do anyone any favors if they invest in this machine and that study looks bad for external beam APBI.

 

[nkmiami]

I had exactly the same sentiment. ( also feel that way to some extent about mri guided linac)
I have treated a number of patients with 267 x 15 partial breast once the European study was published.- There is almost no skin toxicity (granted many probably could have foregone radiation to begin with)

 

[seper]

I wonder what fractionation they are proposing for Co-60 monotherapy.

 

[evilbooyaa]

Just because it's approved doesn't mean it's going to become widespread, it just means some academic facilities will get to churn out (IMO) worthless articles discussing the feasibility of using this machine to do something simple that the entire country is doing anyways.

Stereotactic radiation for breast cancer just seems weird to me. RAPID trial with poor cosmetic results argues against EBRT APBI, IMO.

 

[TomatoMan]

Ag

I think it places the breast in some sort of vacuum device to improve set up accuracy.

Why not just market the vacuum immobilization device without the crazy cobalt sources? Could be an improvement over standard prone boards, etc...???

 

[nkmiami]

the more i think about it, the more pointless this machine is- unless it is being used to replace surgery.