Varian Medical Systems to Support an NCI-Sponsored Phase III Study Comparing Radiosurgery with Surgery for the Treatment of Early-Stage High-Risk, Operable Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

PALO ALTO, Calif., Aug. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) today announced that it has become a supporter of a phase III study comparing radiosurgery with surgical resection for the treatment of early-stage, high-risk, operable non-small cell lung cancer.  The study, which will take place over the next eight years, will look at patients' overall, disease-free, and regional recurrence-free survival rates three years after treatment, and also adverse events and post-treatment quality of life measures.

Sponsored by the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI), the study is being overseen by the Alliance, an NCI-sponsored research cooperative that was formed in March 2011 from the merger of the American College of Surgeons Oncology Group (ACOSOG), Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB), and the North Central Cancer Treatment Group (NCCTG).  Referred to as ACOSOG Z4099/RTOG1021, the study plans to accrue 420 patients over a five-year period.  The Study Chair is Hiran Fernando, M.D., Boston Medical Center, and the Study Co-Chair is Robert Timmerman, M.D., University of Texas Southwestern.  As of June 2012, there were 45 cancer treatment centers that had met all requirements for becoming credentialed to participate in the study.

"Varian is very pleased to support this important study," said Kolleen Kennedy, president of Varian's Oncology Systems business.  "To date, there have not been any prospective, randomized trials to compare the efficacy and toxicity of surgery to radiosurgery for high-risk operable early-stage lung cancer patients.  We anticipate that this trial could yield very useful information for making treatment decisions about these types of cases."

About Varian Medical Systems

Varian Medical Systems, Inc., of Palo Alto, California, is the world's leading manufacturer of medical devices and software for treating cancer and other medical conditions with radiotherapy, radiosurgery, and brachytherapy. The company supplies informatics software for managing comprehensive cancer clinics, radiotherapy centers and medical oncology practices. Varian is a premier supplier of tubes, digital detectors, and image processing workstations for X-ray imaging in medical, scientific, and industrial applications and also supplies high-energy X-ray devices for cargo screening and non-destructive testing applications.  Varian Medical Systems employs approximately 6,000 people who are located at manufacturing sites in North America, Europe, and China and approximately 70 sales and support offices around the world. For more information, visit http://www.varian.com or follow us on Twitter.

Forward-Looking Statements

Except for historical information, this news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements concerning possible actions or outcomes in the future, and any statements using the words or phrases: "will," "plans to," "anticipate," "could," and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and are generally beyond our control, and could cause results to differ materially from those anticipated.  Such risks and uncertainties include risks associated with a negative finding as to the effectiveness of or outcomes associated with radiosurgery versus surgery, a failure to accrue sufficient numbers of patients for the study, and other risks described from time to time in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which by this reference are incorporated herein.  We undertake no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements in this release because of new information, future events or otherwise.

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
Varian Medical Systems, United States
Meryl Ginsberg, 650.424.6444
[email protected]

SOURCE Varian Medical Systems