A 45-year-old female patient was diagnosed with pT2N1M0 invasive ductal carcinoma of the left breast. The patient underwent breast conservation surgery with axillary dissection, followed by chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Radiation therapy was delivered by the Radixact® System, the latest generation of the TomoTherapy® Platform with surface guided radiotherapy (SGRT) enabled by VitalHold™.
Case Challenge:
In left-side-breast cancer patients the heart can lie within or in close proximity of the radiation treatment fields. To help minimize radiation dose to the heart it was decided that the best treatment approach was deep inspiration breath hold (DIBH) with SGRT using VitalHold on the Radixact System. The ability to continuously monitor patient movement is crucial during DIBH, where even slight changes in breathing can affect treatment accuracy.
Treatment Planning:
The patient was positioned supine with arms raised and chin straight. A CT scan was taken while the patient was in DIBH mode, aided by the C-RAD Sentinel SGRT. The use of SGRT eliminates the need for permanent markers, enabling the Sahyadri medical team to offer a tattoo-free treatment experience, greatly reducing patient anxiety associated with set-up.
The treatment plan was developed for a prescribed dose of 40 Gy delivered in 15 fractions to the left breast PTV and PTV supraclavicular fossa (SCF) using TomoDirect™ Treatment Delivery mode with VOLO® Ultra optimizer. Eight beams (3 beams for SCF, 5 for the left breast and 1 common) were planned. After the final calculation, the PTV dose was 93% for PTV left breast, covering 95% of the prescribed dose and 95% for PTV SCF, covering 95% of the prescribed dose. The Radixact System excels at delivering a uniform dose across the treatment area, which can be challenging in some conventional treatment systems. The speed of treatment planning with VOLO Ultra was excellent, enabling quicker adaptations for DIBH which is a significant advantage in a busy clinical setting.
Treatment Delivery:
The patient tolerated the treatment well and maintained a good breath hold throughout the treatment course. One of the key benefits of the Radixact® System is the auto beam hold feature. With minimal beam-off latency it ensures that radiation is only delivered when the patient is in the ideal position. This minimizes the risk of misalignment and safeguards against unnecessary radiation exposure, enhancing the effectiveness. With reliable positioning and real-time feedback, the patient found it easier to maintain their breath-hold, leading to a more comfortable experience. Interactive visual coaching empowered the patient to actively participate in their care. Treatment beam on time was achieved in only 4.5 minutes. The patient experienced no complications during treatment.
Outcome:
Treatment was completed successfully, and the patient is now on follow up. Treatment was conducted with the Radixact X9 System using SGRT with VitalHold™, which helped meet dose requirements. Meticulous planning with VOLO™ Ultra and the use of VitalHold helped us minimize the dose to the heart.
“The Radixact System not only improves accuracy and safety but also prioritizes patient comfort and experience. This makes it a compelling choice for DIBH treatment, setting higher standards in radiation therapy.”
Dr. Sanjay, M.H. Lead Consultant Radiation Oncologist, Sahyadri Hospitals, Pune, India
About Sahyadri Hospital
Sahyadri Hospitals is one of India’s leading healthcare providers, known for its commitment to excellence and innovation in patient care. With a team of highly skilled professionals and state-of-the-art infrastructure, the hospital continues to set benchmarks in medical services.
About Accuray
Accuray is committed to expanding the powerful potential of radiation therapy to improve as many lives as possible. We invent unique, market-changing solutions that are designed to deliver radiation treatments for even the most complex cases—while making commonly treatable cases even easier—to meet the full spectrum of patient needs. We are dedicated to continuous innovation in radiation therapy for oncology, neuro-radiosurgery, and beyond, as we partner with clinicians and administrators, empowering them to help patients get back to their lives, faster. Accuray is headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, with facilities worldwide. To learn more, visit www.accuray.com or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.
Safe Harbor Statement
Statements made in this press release that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements and are subject to the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements in this press release relate, but are not limited, to expectations related to the Radixact System with VitalHold and its effect on the field of radiation therapy and clinical practice, expectations regarding the radiation therapy market in India, clinical applications, clinical results, patient experiences and patient outcomes These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. If any of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if any of the company`s assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the company`s ability to achieve widespread market acceptance of its products, including new product innovations and releases; the company`s ability to develop new products or improve existing products to meet customers` needs; the company`s ability to anticipate or keep pace with changes in the marketplace and the direction of technological innovation and customer demands and such other risks identified under the heading “Risk Factors” in the company`s quarterly report on Form 10-Q, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on November 6, 2024, and as updated periodically with the company`s other filings with the SEC.
Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statements are made and are based on information available to the company at the time those statements are made and/or management`s good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events. The company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual performance or results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking information, except to the extent required by applicable securities laws. Accordingly, investors should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements.
