GammaPod, a stereotactic radiotherapy system that would help treat breast cancer in the early stages with enough accuracy to avoid surgery in many cases, has apparently received the 501(k) clearance by the FDA. This novel system, as per reports, would soon mark its entry in breast cancer therapeutics market.
Sources state that with GammaPod, a high dose of radiation will apparently be administered to the tumor with little to no effect on the normal breast tissue and other major organs like the heart and lungs. This is expected to significantly reduce the number of treatment sessions and in some cases, patients may need only one treatment session to entirely get rid of the tumor. FDA’s approval for the system is likely to pave the way for GammaPod to gain ground in breast cancer therapeutics industry.
Dr. William Regine, the co-inventor of GammaPod, is apparently of the opinion that the new invention which has the potential to negate surgery for some patients will bring about a paradigm shift in healthcare and medical devices market. Reportedly, inventor Cedric X. Yu also hopes that sometime in the future, there will be no need to remove a tumor with a scalpel. Rather, a high dose of focused radiation may perform the entire job.
As a part of the feasibility and safety test, 15 patients with initial stage breast cancer were given a single boost treatment with the GammaPod and 3 weeks of radiation treatment. The entire treatment phase was reduced by 3 to 4 treatments and the GammaPod was found to be effective in delivering focused radiation treatment. Plausibly based on this data, Xcision Medical Systems, the manufacturer of GammaPod, was given the 501(k) clearance by FDA, state experts. It has been predicted that Xcision Medical Systems can now start selling GammaPod to hospitals and cancer treating medical facilities, helping in breast cancer therapeutics market size soar tremendous heights.