IsoRay Cs-131 mesh brachytherapy with da Vinci Robot for lung cancer treatment gains momentum

IsoRay, Inc.Aug 23 2011

IsoRay, Inc. (Amex: ISR) said today that a growing number of hospitals and medical treatment centers are adopting its proprietary mesh Cesium-131 (Cs-131) brachytherapy seeds (internal radiation therapy) for use in conjunction with the da Vinci^® Surgical System to treat early stage lung cancer patients. One of the most recent adopters is Georgia's Archbold Memorial Hospital.

“to revolutionize surgical treatment for lung cancer using mesh brachytherapy and the da Vinci Robot.”

In recently published comments, Archbold Memorial Hospital announced it has become the first in the state of Georgia, "to revolutionize surgical treatment for lung cancer using mesh brachytherapy and the da Vinci Robot." General and thoracic surgeon Edward Hall, MD, and radiation oncologist Steven Johnson, MD, of Archbold's Lewis Hall Singletary Oncology Center performed the surgery on a 64-year old female patient. To hear more about the doctors' experience and what the patient has to say, follow this link. http://www.walb.com/story/15238595/new-procedure-may

According to radiation oncologist Johnson, "With mesh brachytherapy, patients benefit from getting the most targeted radiation possible, which decreases the chance of the cancer recurring and decreases the amount of potential lung damage...placing Cesium (131), a radioactive chemical element used for treating cancer, over the suture line reduces the risk of cancer recurrence in patients to 10 percent or less," said Johnson.

IsoRay's Cesium-131 mesh brachytherapy gives physicians and their patients a viable treatment option for those cancer patients who otherwise would be inoperable because of limited pulmonary function or other health issues. Patients accrue additional benefits because targeted radiation does not involve the many weeks of treatment required in traditional external radiation since it can be done at the time of surgery and does not involve return trips to the hospital, except for routine follow-up visits. Cesium-131 brachytherapy treatments are demonstrating their efficacy in cancer control and survivability as well as in their positive impact on quality of life for patients.

IsoRay CEO Dwight Babcock says the combination of da Vinci robotics and his company's Cesium-131 mesh brachytherapy is proving a winning combination,"We are hearing from a number of physicians and medical facilities, who are looking at applications to treat a variety of cancers throughout the body. We are confident that this interest and excitement will translate into important benefits for patients who are fighting the toughest battles of their lives. This is about cancer control and survival and it comes with improved quality of life. I continue to believe that it's the insurance policy no patient can afford to be without. "

IsoRay is the exclusive manufacturer of Cesium-131. The pioneering brachytherapy treatment represents one of the most important advancements in internal radiation therapy in 20 years. In addition to its CMS codes, Cesium-131 is FDA-cleared for the treatment of prostate, lung, ocular melanoma, brain, colorectal, gynecological, and head and neck cancer and other cancers throughout the body.