Sunnyvale, Calif. - Accuray Incorporated, a global leader in the field of radiosurgery, announced clinical data that shows use of its CyberKnife® Robotic Radiosurgery System in the treatment of spinal tumors has increased by 56 percent between December 2005 and December 2006. Success of this non-invasive procedure, which avoids potential damage to the spinal cord, is further validated by a study of 500 spinal tumor patients. The study results were published in the January 15 issue of the journal Spine.

Tumors in the spine, particularly metastatic tumors, are difficult to remove surgically and are challenging to treat with radiation because of their close proximity to the spinal cord. Damage to the spinal cord can result in loss of movement, feeling or even paralysis.

"Because the spine moves, there is a high risk with treatments such as those delivered by radiation therapy devices that the spinal cord could move into the radiation field," said Eric P. Lindquist, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at Accuray." With Accuray's CyberKnife System, which tracks tumor and patient movement during treatment, the risk of damage to surrounding healthy tissue and critical structures, like the spinal cord, is minimized."
Accuray is a pioneer in the radiosurgical treatment of spinal tumors. The company's CyberKnife Xsight(tm) Spine Tracking System is a breakthrough in tracking technology. It is the first and only system that uses the internal anatomy to directly track tumors with radiosurgical precision without the need for external frames or implanted fiducials. The Xsight System registers unique non-rigid and bony anatomy landmarks to track, detect and correct for the movement of the spine in real-time throughout the treatment. It allows doctors to deliver high doses of radiation with sub-millimeter accuracy while avoiding damage to healthy tissue.

"We've had tremendous success with the CyberKnife System in treating patients with complex spinal tumors," said Dr. Peter Gerszten, lead author of the study. "The results of our study demonstrate the CyberKnife System's effectiveness in controlling tumor progression and minimizing any associated side effects."

The study, titled "Radiosurgery for Spinal Metastases: Clinical Experience in 500 Cases From a Single Institution", was conducted at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pittsburgh, Pa., and included 500 patients ages 18 to 85 with tumors in all parts of the spine.

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