Registry Study Shows Cancer Centers Following Guidelines for Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy

TOMS RIVER, N.J., July 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Physicians at New Jersey CyberKnife, a service of Community Medical Center, are part of a group of cancer specialists around the U.S. that have analyzed patient data collected through the RSSearch Registry. The group has confirmed cancer centers participating in the registry are following established guidelines for stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT).

The study is one of the first attempts to evaluate the quality of data gathered by the registry, a project launched in 2006 to collect standardized data on the use of SBRT.

"The registry was created as a means to follow patients systematically so treatment outcomes and results could be compared appropriately to experiences around the country in academic and nonacademic centers," says Dr. David D'Ambrosio, medical director of New Jersey CyberKnife and one of several authors of the analysis. "The system collects data and categorizes it in terms of patient toxicity and outcomes in a rigid manner so it can be compared to other centers' data."

In their study, Dr. D'Ambrosio and other authors examined 464 men with prostate cancer who were treated with SBRT between 2006 and 2013 at a total of 33 U.S. cancer centers that take part in providing data for the RSSearch Registry.

The study found biochemical disease-free survival at two years was 100 percent for low-risk patients, 93 percent for intermediate-risk patients and 93 percent for high-risk patients. At three years, biochemical disease-free survival for each category was 100 percent, 84 percent and 67 percent, respectively.

The study's authors concluded that patient outcomes are favorable. Dr. D'Ambrosio acknowledges the median patient follow-up of 13 months was relatively short. But as the database matures, he says, analysis will become more robust for assessing toxicity and long-term outcomes.

New Jersey CyberKnife opened in 2011 and has treated more than 460 patients. Diseases most frequently treated include head and neck tumors, lung tumors and prostate cancer. In collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh, the center is currently managing a clinical trial to analyze SBRT for prostate cancer patients.

Part of the J. Phillip Citta Regional Cancer Center, New Jersey CyberKnife is located at 99 Route 37 West in Toms River, NJ. For more information, call (732) 557-3120.

CONTACT: Chris Trahan, Zehnder Communications, (225) 505-1900, [email protected]

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SOURCE New Jersey CyberKnife