The medical device expands Sicel Technologies’ portfolio, because the DVS-HFT dosimeter is specifically calibrated for use with radiation therapy protocols that give patients higher single doses of radiation over a shorter period of time compared to conventional radiation therapy. Also, known as hypo-fractionated therapy, treatment with higher radiation doses over fewer treatments has been highly effective in treating some tumors and is becoming more popular. However, it is critical that physicians confirm that the actual intended dose reaches the target tumor to maximize the therapeutic benefit as well as to avoid damaging healthy tissue.

“The DVS-HFT is an important advance in hypo-fractionated therapy, because physicians can now confidently determine the prescribed dose has been accurately delivered throughout the course of treatment, which is a key determinant in the long-term successful treatment of a tumor,” said Arnold Malcolm, MD, Associate Professor Vanderbilt Center for Radiation Oncology. “This device may actually accelerate the use of hypo-fractionated protocols, like those being adopted for treatment of prostate cancer, which may offer benefits across the healthcare spectrum.”

Recent changes by the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services in the 2009 Hospital Outpatient reimbursement policy for Medicare patients will make DVS accessible to more patients undergoing radiation therapy treatment in hospital outpatient facilities. The change, effective January 1, significantly increases reimbursement to facilities implanting the sensors.

“We are very pleased that CMS has acknowledged the importance of breakthrough technologies like DVS in cancer treatment and we continue to work with professional organizations like ASTRO, AAPM, and the AUA to ensure that all patients have access to innovative treatment options,” said Michael Riddle, President and CEO, Sicel Technologies, Inc.

For more information about DVS-HFT or Sicel Technologies, Inc., please call 1-888-DVS-6697 or visit http://www.dvssmartmarker.com.

About Sicel Technologies

Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Morrisville, North Carolina, Sicel Technologies, Inc. is a privately held, specialty device company focused on the development of revolutionary therapies that significantly impact the treatment of cancer-a leading cause of death in the U.S., second only to heart disease.

Sicel Technologies, Inc. developed the Dose Verification System®, the first U.S. Food & Drug Administration approved wireless implantable sensors designed to assist clinicians in determining the actual dose of radiation being delivered to the tumor. The company also makes and markets OneDose™, patient dosimetry verification systems specifically designed for radiation oncology therapy.

In 2008, Sicel Technologies, Inc. was named “Company of The Year” in the Life Science, Biotech, Medtech category by the North Carolina Technology Association.

ASTRO’s patient outreach program was honored with an AAA Award for its efforts to help cancer patients understand the complexity of radiation therapy treatment and is now in the running to receive a Summit Award, which is ASAE and the Center’s top recognition for association programs.

“ASTRO is very committed to helping patients better understand how radiation therapy works and to giving our members the tools to explain this complex, yet very effective treatment to their patients in an easy to understand way,” Laura I. Thevenot, ASTRO CEO, said. “We are extremely proud to be recognized by ASAE with an AAA Award for our hard work in helping cancer patients decipher their treatment options.”

In September 2003, ASTRO conducted a national survey to gauge what the public understood about radiation therapy and determined that the public knew very little about this form of cancer treatment even though it is one of the three main cancer treatments along with chemotherapy and surgery. To combat this, the Society launched a public awareness campaign to educate patients and the public about how radiation therapy works to cure cancer.

ASTRO’s patient outreach program consists of 14 patient-friendly, disease site specific brochures that are available in English, Spanish, Arabic and/or Japanese; a patient Web site (http://www.rtanswers.org) where patients can find radiation therapy treatment information for specific cancers, locate a radiation oncologist in their area, find a list of patient support groups and locate resources for radiation therapy treatment financial aid; and an easy-to-use template of the patient site that our members can personalize to create their own Web site with patient information.

Now in its 19th year, the prestigious AAA Awards program recognizes associations that propel America forward with innovative projects in education, skills training, standards-setting, business and social innovation, knowledge creation, citizenship and community service.

ASTRO is the largest radiation oncology society in the world, with more than 10,000 members who specialize in treating patients with radiation therapies. As the leading organization in radiation oncology, biology and physics, the Society is dedicated to improving patient care through education, clinical practice, advancement of science and advocacy. For more information on radiation therapy, visit http://www.rtanswers.org. To learn more about ASTRO, visit http://www.astro.org.

Surgery is the standard treatment for rectal cancer, however the removal of the tumor alone does not eliminate the risk of the cancer recurring in the same area. Recurrence is difficult to treat and incurable in most patients. Earlier research showed that radiotherapy and chemotherapy, before or after surgery, reduce the local reappearance of the cancer. However, radiotherapy is an expensive treatment and is linked to the increased risk of other lasting complications, such as impaired bowel function, incontinence, and sexual dysfunction. For that reason, radiotherapy should be targeted to patients showing a high risk of local recurrence, such as those with involvement of the circumferential resection margin.

In order to obtain additional verification, Professor Robert Steele and his team carried out the Medical Research Council (MRC) CR07 and the National Cancer Institute of Canada (NCIC) C016 trial. This study evaluated the choice in using chemo radiotherapy in patients who had involvement of the circumferential resection margin, with one week sessions of radiotherapy prior to surgery. From March 1998 to August 2005, 1,350 patients with rectal cancer were recruited from the UK, Canada, South Africa and New Zealand. Patients were given randomly five daily treatments of radiotherapy before surgery, or twenty five treatments of chemo radiotherapy after surgery, to those with high risk of local recurrence.

After three years, findings concluded that in the pre-operative radiotherapy group, 4.4 percent of the patients had local recurrence of the cancer in comparison to 10.6 percent in the post-operative group. At three years, the probability of disease-free survival was of 77.5 percent in the pre-operative radiotherapy patients and of 72 percent in the post-operative patients. The general survival rate did not vary considerably among the groups (330 patients died; 157 in the pre-operative radiotherapy group, 173 in the selective post-operative chemo radiotherapy group).

Total mesorectal excision is one of the latest advances in surgical techniques that have enhanced patient outcomes. Phil Quirke, University of Leeds, UK, and team evaluated the consequences of circumferential resection margin and the plane of surgery (amount of tissue removed around the tumor) achieved during surgery on local recurrence of cancer. The study included 1,156 patients in the MRC CR07 and NCIC-CTG C016 trial.

Results indicated that 11 percent (128) of the patients had involvement of the circumferential resection margin, and the plane of surgery was ranked as good (mesorectal) in 52 percent (604), intermediate (intramesorectal) in 34 percent (398), and poor (muscularis propria plane) in 13 percent (154).

Low recurrence rates were related to a negative circumferential resection margin and a superior plane of surgery. After three years, there was local recurrence for 6 percent of patients with a negative circumferential margin, in comparison to 17 percent of patients with a positive circumferential margin. Moreover, 4 percent of patients in the mesorectal group had local recurrence, 7 percent of patients in the intramesorectal group, and 13 percent of patients in the muscularis propria plane group. Still, short-course radiotherapy prior to surgery lowered recurrence by nearly half, for any plane of surgery achieved.

“At present, only 50% of rectal cancer surgery is done in the mesorectal plane, suggesting that a further decrease in local recurrence rates might be obtained by improving the plane of surgery achieved…[This could] be achieved through education and surgical tuition”, the authors write.

Dr Robert Madoff, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA, in a supplementary remark, says these findings confirm: “That preoperative radiation can mitigate but not eliminate the adverse effects of imperfect surgery. The best outcomes occurred when preoperative radiation was followed by optimum surgery…The next challenge is to understand which patient needs what therapy to maximise his or her chance for cure.”

“This is a big trend in radiation oncology for early stage lung cancer patients who either can’t undergo surgery or refuse it,” says Curtis Miyamoto, M.D., chair and professor of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the School of Medicine. “With the success of this technique, we’re now questioning whether we’ll even be doing surgeries on these patients in the future.”

Treating lung cancer with conventional radiation is a burdensome process. Patients receive radiation therapy, which kills the cancerous cells and shrinks tumors, five days a week for six to seven weeks. The travel alone can be a hardship for patients not living in the city.

In contrast, SBRT requires only three to eight treatments, not 35. Once malignancy is confirmed through a PET CT scan or biopsy, treatments can begin. Patients are placed in an immobilizing body frame to reduce movement so that doctors can focus radiation on the tumor while reducing exposure of healthy tissue. Although both traditional treatments and SBRT methods involve radiation, SBRT administers large, highly precise doses instead of multiple smaller doses.

But perhaps the most important advantage of SBRT is its effectiveness: Patients who refuse or cannot receive conventional treatments for their lung cancer face a median survival range of nine months. For those who undergo SBRT, the median survival range is more than 32 months. And depending on the size and seriousness of the tumor, the two-year disease free survival, or cure rate through SBRT increases to approximately 81 percent and can reach up to 98 percent, according to findings in the International Journal of Radiation OncologyBiologyPhysics. The cure rate with conventional radiation is closer to 35 percent; SBRT doubles the odds of surviving early stage lung cancer and can actually cure at least half of the patients.

“Such high survival rates are equivalent to other techniques, like invasive surgery, but you don’t have to go under the knife,” says Miyamoto. “I think the big thing the patient notices is it’s all done very quickly and the results are impressive.”

That’s welcome news to Americans considering lung cancer is the second most diagnosed cancer in men and women (after prostate and breast, respectively), but it is the number one cause of death from cancer every year in both men and women, according to statistics from LungCancer.org.

Notes:

Miyamoto will present information on SBRT this June before the Asociacion Latinoamericana de Terapia Radiante Oncologica, or ALATRO, which represents Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking radiation oncologists who treat approximately 500 million people outside the United States.

Cancer harms the body when damaged cells divide uncontrollably to form lumps or masses of tissue called tumors (except in the case of leukemia where cancer prohibits normal blood function by abnormal cell division in the blood stream). Tumors can grow and interfere with the digestive, nervous, and circulatory systems, and they can release hormones that alter body function. Tumors that stay in one spot and demonstrate limited growth are generally considered to be benign.

More dangerous, or malignant, tumors form when two things occur:

1. a cancerous cell manages to move throughout the body using the blood or lymph systems, destroying healthy tissue in a process called invasion
2. that cell manages to divide and grow, making new blood vessels to feed itself in a process called angiogenesis.

When a tumor successfully spreads to other parts of the body and grows, invading and destroying other healthy tissues, it is said to have metastasized. This process itself is called metastasis, and the result is a serious condition that is very difficult to treat.

In 2007, cancer claimed the lives of about 7.6 million people in the world. Physicians and researchers who specialize in the study, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancer are called oncologists.

What causes cancer?

Cancer is ultimately the result of cells that uncontrollably grow and do not die. Normal cells in the body follow an orderly path of growth, division, and death. Programmed cell death is called apoptosis, and when this process breaks down, cancer begins to form. Unlike regular cells, cancer cells do not experience programmatic death and instead continue to grow and divide. This leads to a mass of abnormal cells that grows out of control.

What is cancer? – Video

A short, 3D, animated introduction to cancer. This was originally created by BioDigital Systems and used in the Stand Up 2 Cancer telethon.

3D Medical Animation – What is Cancer?

Genes – the DNA type

Cells can experience uncontrolled growth if there are damages or mutations to DNA, and therefore, damage to the genes involved in cell division. Four key types of gene are responsible for the cell division process: oncogenes tell cells when to divide, tumor suppressor genes tell cells when not to divide, suicide genes control apoptosis and tell the cell to kill itself if something goes wrong, and DNA-repair genes instruct a cell to repair damaged DNA.

Cancer occurs when a cell’s gene mutations make the cell unable to correct DNA damage and unable to commit suicide. Similarly, cancer is a result of mutations that inhibit oncogene and tumor suppressor gene function, leading to uncontrollable cell growth.

Carcinogens

Carcinogens are a class of substances that are directly responsible for damaging DNA, promoting or aiding cancer. Tobacco, asbestos, arsenic, radiation such as gamma and x-rays, the sun, and compounds in car exhaust fumes are all examples of carcinogens. When our bodies are exposed to carcinogens, free radicals are formed that try to steal electrons from other molecules in the body. Theses free radicals damage cells and affect their ability to function normally.

Genes – the family type

Cancer can be the result of a genetic predisposition that is inherited from family members. It is possible to be born with certain genetic mutations or a fault in a gene that makes one statistically more likely to develop cancer later in life.

Other medical factors
As we age, there is an increase in the number of possible cancer-causing mutations in our DNA. This makes age an important risk factor for cancer. Several viruses have also been linked to cancer such as: human papillomavirus (a cause of cervical cancer), hepatitis B and C (causes of liver cancer), and Epstein-Barr virus (a cause of some childhood cancers). Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) – and anything else that suppresses or weakens the immune system – inhibits the body’s ability to fight infections and increases the chance of developing cancer.

What are the symptoms of cancer?

Cancer symptoms are quite varied and depend on where the cancer is located, where it has spread, and how big the tumor is. Some cancers can be felt or seen through the skin – a lump on the breast or testicle can be an indicator of cancer in those locations. Skin cancer (melanoma) is often noted by a change in a wart or mole on the skin. Some oral cancers present white patches inside the mouth or white spots on the tongue.

Other cancers have symptoms that are less physically apparent. Some brain tumors tend to present symptoms early in the disease as they affect important cognitive functions. Pancreas cancers are usually too small to cause symptoms until they cause pain by pushing against nearby nerves or interfere with liver function to cause a yellowing of the skin and eyes called jaundice. Symptoms also can be created as a tumor grows and pushes against organs and blood vessels. For example, colon cancers lead to symptoms such as constipation, diarrhea, and changes in stool size. Bladder or prostate cancers cause changes in bladder function such as more frequent or infrequent urination.

As cancer cells use the body’s energy and interfere with normal hormone function, it is possible to present symptoms such as fever, fatigue, excessive sweating, anemia, and unexplained weight loss. However, these symptoms are common in several other maladies as well. For example, coughing and hoarseness can point to lung or throat cancer as well as several other conditions.

When cancer spreads, or metastasizes, additional symptoms can present themselves in the newly affected area. Swollen or enlarged lymph nodes are common and likely to be present early. If cancer spreads to the brain, patients may experience vertigo, headaches, or seizures. Spreading to the lungs may cause coughing and shortness of breath. In addition, the liver may become enlarged and cause jaundice and bones can become painful, brittle, and break easily. Symptoms of metastasis ultimately depend on the location to which the cancer has spread.

How is cancer classified?

There are five broad groups that are used to classify cancer.

1. Carcinomas are characterized by cells that cover internal and external parts of the body such as lung, breast, and colon cancer.
2. Sarcomas are characterized by cells that are located in bone, cartilage, fat, connective tissue, muscle, and other supportive tissues.
3. Lymphomas are cancers that begin in the lymph nodes and immune system tissues.
4. Leukemias are cancers that begin in the bone marrow and often accumulate in the bloodstream.
5. Adenomas are cancers that arise in the thyroid, the pituitary gland, the adrenal gland, and other glandular tissues.

Cancers are often referred to by terms that contain a prefix related to the cell type in which the cancer originated and a suffix such as -sarcoma, -carcinoma, or just -oma. Common prefixes include:

* Adeno- = gland
* Chondro- = cartilage
* Erythro- = red blood cell
* Hemangio- = blood vessels
* Hepato- = liver
* Lipo- = fat
* Lympho- = white blood cell
* Melano- = pigment cell
* Myelo- = bone marrow
* Myo- = muscle
* Osteo- = bone
* Uro- = bladder
* Retino- = eye
* Neuro- = brain

How is cancer diagnosed and staged?

Early detection of cancer can greatly improve the odds of successful treatment and survival. Physicians use information from symptoms and several other procedures to diagnose cancer. Imaging techniques such as X-rays, CT scans, MRI scans, PET scans, and ultrasound scans are used regularly in order to detect where a tumor is located and what organs may be affected by it. Doctors may also conduct an endoscopy, which is a procedure that uses a thin tube with a camera and light at one end, to look for abnormalities inside the body.

Extracting cancer cells and looking at them under a microscope is the only absolute way to diagnose cancer. This procedure is called a biopsy. Other types of molecular diagnostic tests are frequently employed as well. Physicians will analyze your body’s sugars, fats, proteins, and DNA at the molecular level. For example, cancerous prostate cells release a higher level of a chemical called PSA (prostate-specific antigen) into the bloodstream that can be detected by a blood test. Molecular diagnostics, biopsies, and imaging techniques are all used together to diagnose cancer.

After a diagnosis is made, doctors find out how far the cancer has spread and determine the stage of the cancer. The stage determines which choices will be available for treatment and informs prognoses. The most common cancer staging method is called the TNM system. T (1-4) indicates the size and direct extent of the primary tumor, N (0-3) indicates the degree to which the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes, and M (0-1) indicates whether the cancer has metastasized to other organs in the body. A small tumor that has not spread to lymph nodes or distant organs may be staged as (T1, N0, M0), for example.

TNM descriptions then lead to a simpler categorization of stages, from 0 to 4, where lower numbers indicate that the cancer has spread less. While most Stage 1 tumors are curable, most Stage 4 tumors are inoperable or untreatable.

How is cancer treated?

Cancer treatment depends on the type of cancer, the stage of the cancer (how much it has spread), age, health status, and additional personal characteristics. There is no single treatment for cancer, and patients often receive a combination of therapies and palliative care. Treatments usually fall into one of the following categories: surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, hormone therapy, or gene therapy.

Surgery

Surgery is the oldest known treatment for cancer. If a cancer has not metastasized, it is possible to completely cure a patient by surgically removing the cancer from the body. This is often seen in the removal of the prostate or a breast or testicle. After the disease has spread, however, it is nearly impossible to remove all of the cancer cells. Surgery may also be instrumental in helping to control symptoms such as bowel obstruction or spinal cord compression.

Radiation
Radiation treatment, also known as radiotherapy, destroys cancer by focusing high-energy rays on the cancer cells. This causes damage to the molecules that make up the cancer cells and leads them to commit suicide. Radiotherapy utilizes high-energy gamma-rays that are emitted from metals such as radium or high-energy x-rays that are created in a special machine. Early radiation treatments caused severe side-effects because the energy beams would damage normal, healthy tissue, but technologies have improved so that beams can be more accurately targeted. Radiotherapy is used as a standalone treatment to shrink a tumor or destroy cancer cells (including those associated with leukemia and lymphoma), and it is also used in combination with other cancer treatments.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy utilizes chemicals that interfere with the cell division process – damaging proteins or DNA – so that cancer cells will commit suicide. These treatments target any rapidly dividing cells (not necessarily just cancer cells), but normal cells usually can recover from any chemical-induced damage while cancer cells cannot. Chemotherapy is generally used to treat cancer that has spread or metastasized because the medicines travel throughout the entire body. It is a necessary treatment for some forms of leukemia and lymphoma. Chemotherapy treatment occurs in cycles so the body has time to heal between doses. However, there are still common side effects such as hair loss, nausea, fatigue, and vomiting. Combination therapies often include multiple types of chemotherapy or chemotherapy combined with other treatment options.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy aims to get the body’s immune system to fight the tumor. Local immunotherapy injects a treatment into an affected area, for example, to cause inflammation that causes a tumor to shrink. Systemic immunotherapy treats the whole body by administering an agent such as the protein interferon alpha that can shrink tumors. Immunotherapy can also be considered non-specific if it improves cancer-fighting abilities by stimulating the entire immune system, and it can be considered targeted if the treatment specifically tells the immune system to destroy cancer cells. These therapies are relatively young, but researchers have had success with treatments that introduce antibodies to the body that inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells. Bone marrow transplantation (hematopoetic stem cell transplantation) can also be considered immunotherapy because the donor’s immune cells will often attack the tumor or cancer cells that are present in the host.

Hormone therapy

Several cancers have been linked to some types of hormones, most notably breast and prostate cancer. Hormone therapy is designed to alter hormone production in the body so that cancer cells stop growing or are killed completely. Breast cancer hormone therapies often focus on reducing estrogen levels (a common drug for this is tamoxifen) and prostate cancer hormone therapies often focus on reducing testosterone levels. In addition, some leukemia and lymphoma cases can be treated with the hormone cortisone.

Gene therapy

The goal of gene therapy is to replace damaged genes with ones that work to address a root cause of cancer: damage to DNA. For example, researchers are trying to replace the damaged gene that signals cells to stop dividing (the p53 gene) with a copy of a working gene. Other gene-based therapies focus on further damaging cancer cell DNA to the point where the cell commits suicide. Gene therapy is a very young field and has not yet resulted in any successful treatments.

How can cancer be prevented?

Cancers that are closely linked to certain behaviors are the easiest to prevent. For example, choosing not to smoke tobacco or drink alcohol significantly lower the risk of several types of cancer – most notably lung, throat, mouth, and liver cancer. Even if you are a current tobacco user, quitting can still greatly reduce your chances of getting cancer.

Skin cancer can be prevented by staying in the shade, protecting yourself with a hat and shirt when in the sun, and using sunscreen. Diet is also an important part of cancer prevention since what we eat has been linked to the disease. Physicians recommend diets that are low in fat and rich in fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains.

Certain vaccinations have been associated with the prevention of some cancers. For example, many women receive a vaccination for the human papillomavirus because of the virus’s relationship with cervical cancer. Hepatitis B vaccines prevent the hepatitis B virus, which can cause liver cancer.

Some cancer prevention is based on systematic screening in order to detect small irregularities or tumors as early as possible even if there are no clear symptoms present. Breast self-examination, mammograms, testicular self-examination, and Pap smears are common screening methods for various cancers.

How to eat to prevent cancer – Video

A guide to some everyday foods that contain nutrients that may help reduce your risk of getting cancer. Video by Howcast.

How To Eat To Prevent Cancer

Cancer / Oncology news

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The increasing interest in CyberKnife radiosurgery for lung tumors was further validated at this year’s Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Meeting in San Francisco. Recent publication of several clinical papers describing the benefits of the CyberKnife System’s accurate delivery of high dose radiation to treat lung cancer has helped to raise the profile of the CyberKnife System, particularly amongst this group of physicians.

Discussions by leading thoracic surgeons, such as James Luketich, M.D., Chief of The Heart, Lung and Esophageal Surgery Institute at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center highlighted the efficacy and resulting increased demand for CyberKnife treatments for lung cancer patients, while also emphasizing the need for thoracic surgeons to increase their awareness and involvement with CyberKnife radiosurgery. Dr. Luketich’s points were further underscored by Richard Whyte, M.D., Professor of Thoracic Surgery at Stanford University School of Medicine. During his STS University session, Dr. Whyte reviewed the importance of the CyberKnife System as a tool available to the thoracic surgeon while also emphasizing the critical role surgeons play in the CyberKnife treatment process.

Jack A. Roth, M.D., Professor of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery and Johnson Distinguished Chair at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and others discussed the potential of CyberKnife radiosurgery, and in particular, the recently launched randomized, worldwide multicenter study of CyberKnife versus surgery for operable lung cancer. Currently the standard of care for early stage lung cancer patients is surgical removal of the tumor through a procedure known as lobectomy. Such procedures not only require considerable patient recovery and associated risks of infection and bleeding, they’re also resource and cost intensive for providers and payors. While the CyberKnife System is currently accepted as a non-invasive treatment option for inoperable patients, this study is designed to provide evidence that may revolutionize the way operable early stage lung cancer is treated worldwide.

All of these highlights from the meeting are clear indications that physicians and patients are increasingly seeing the impact and value of CyberKnife radiosurgery in the treatment of lung cancer.

About the CyberKnife(R) Robotic Radiosurgery System

The CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System is the world’s only robotic radiosurgery system designed to treat tumors anywhere in the body non-invasively. Using continual image guidance technology and computer controlled robotic mobility, the CyberKnife System automatically tracks, detects and corrects for tumor and patient movement in real-time throughout the treatment. This enables the CyberKnife System to deliver high-dose radiation with pinpoint precision, which minimizes damage to surrounding healthy tissue and eliminates the need for invasive head or body stabilization frames.

About Accuray
Accuray Incorporated (Nasdaq: ARAY), based in Sunnyvale, Calif., is a global leader in the field of radiosurgery dedicated to providing an improved quality of life and a non-surgical treatment option for those diagnosed with cancer. Accuray develops and markets the CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System, which extends the benefits of radiosurgery to include extracranial tumors, including those in the spine, lung, prostate, liver and pancreas. To date, the CyberKnife System has been used to treat more than 60,000 patients worldwide and currently more than 155 systems have been installed in leading hospitals in the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit http://www.accuray.comm.

Safe Harbor Statement

The foregoing may contain certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including uncertainties associated with the medical device industry. Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release, including statements relating to clinical studies, regulatory review and approval, and commercialization of products are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statements are made and are based on information available at the time those statements are made and/or management’s good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events. You should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual performance and results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements we make include: market acceptance of products; competing products, the combination of our products with complementary technology; and other risks detailed from time to time under the heading “Risk Factors” in our report on Form 10-K for the 2008 fiscal year, as updated in our Form 10-Q filed on February 5, 2009 and our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company’s actual results of operations may differ significantly from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements as a result of these and other factors. We assume 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.

Remarkable breakthroughs in cancer research and medical technology continue to make radiation therapy an effective, less-invasive cancer treatment option. Because radiation therapy is not invasive and has relatively minimal side effects, patients receiving radiation therapy often can maintain normal family lifestyles and continue to work.

The economic downturn and a strained healthcare system are forcing an increasing number of cancer patients, both insured and uninsured, to make heartbreaking decisions to delay or forgo necessary radiation treatments. Radiation oncologists are deeply troubled by this dire situation facing their patients and are committed to help move forward needed healthcare reform.

ASTRO believes that the integrity of the Medicare program and quality patient care is being compromised by loopholes in the physician self-referral law – or Stark Law. One particular loophole, called the in-office ancillary exception (IOAE), has become the “loophole that has swallowed the rule”.

“There is evidence that some physicians are using the ancillary exception to drop ‘turn-key’ radiation therapy services into group practices to maximize profit. We are afraid these arrangements compromise the quality of care, limit access, constrain patient choice from the full range of treatment options and result in overutilization of certain treatments,” said Laura I. Thevenot, ASTRO’s CEO. “ASTRO is committed to working with President Obama and Congress to prevent profit-motivated self-referrals and preserve the independent judgment and choice that patients deserve in making life and death decisions.”

ASTRO is asking President Obama and Congress to close the IOAE loophole and responsibly address abuses of the self-referral law. By taking these actions, it believes budgetary savings may result that help advance the President’s healthcare priorities. For instance, savings could help increase funding for cancer research or expand coverage, both of which are critical to keep people healthy, save lives and stimulate the economy.

ASTRO strongly supports comprehensive healthcare reform and looks forward to working with the President and Congress to expand coverage of the uninsured, double funding for life-saving cancer research, and strengthen Medicare by fixing its physician payment system and protecting the program’s integrity.

ASTRO is the largest radiation oncology society in the world, with more than 10,000 members who specialize in treating patients with radiation therapies. As the leading organization in radiation oncology, biology and physics, the Society is dedicated to improving patient care through education, clinical practice, advancement of science and advocacy. For more information on radiation therapy, visitwww.rtanswers.org. To learn more about ASTRO, visit www.astro.org.

According to the New England Journal of Medicine1, dense breast tissue increases the risk of breast cancer for a woman up to five-fold. While mammography remains the method of choice in breast cancer screening, a study published by the RSNA (Radiological Society of North America) in 20022 showed that the detection rate for non-palpable, invasive breast cancer increased by 42 percent when mammography was followed by an ultrasound examination.

“I am convinced that automatic ultrasound volume imaging with the Acuson S2000 ABVS can make a significant contribution in diagnostic confidence for women with dense breast tissue or inconclusive mammography findings,” said Klaus Hambüchen, CEO, Ultrasound at Siemens Healthcare. Examinations performed with the Acuson S2000 ABVS technique generally take less than 15 minutes. “Time well spent if you consider the extended diagnostic capabilities of ultrasound in dense breasts.”

Coronal anatomical view

The system quickly and comfortably acquires and surveys full-field sonographic volume images that provide a more comprehensive overview of the breast. Included is the intuitive, anatomical coronal plane of the breast (from the nipple to the breast wall), which is not available with conventional ultrasound imaging. This view provides a more understandable representation of the global anatomy and architecture of the breast.

The system’s automatic image acquisition significantly improves the workflow of a breast ultrasound examination. While hand held examinations usually take up to 30 minutes, with the Acuson S2000 ABVS, the exam can be performed in less than 15 minutes. Semi-automated reporting and comprehensive BI-RADS® ultrasound reporting capabilities further enhance the clinical workflow. This Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) is a classification of the American College of Radiology (ACR) for reporting mammography screenings.

To further optimize high-volume patient care, the system also supports innovative breast imaging applications, such as Fatty Tissue and eSie Touch elasticity imaging. All of these applications help increase diagnostic confidence, while at the same time reducing examination and waiting time for the patient. The new system is an all-round system for ultrasound breast care, from early detection, to diagnosis to aftercare.

The Siemens Healthcare Sector is one of the largest suppliers of healthcare technology in the world. The company is a medical solution provider with core competences and innovative strengths in diagnostic and therapeutic technologies as well as knowledge processing, including information technology and system integration. With its acquisitions in laboratory diagnostics, Siemens Healthcare is the first integrated healthcare company that combines imaging and lab diagnostics, therapy solutions and medical information technology and also supplements these with consultation and services. Siemens Healthcare offers solutions for the entire supply chain under one roof – from prevention and early detection to diagnosis and on to treatment and aftercare. In addition, Siemens Healthcare is the global market leader for innovative hearing instruments. The company employs some 49,000 employees worldwide and is present in more than 130 countries. During fiscal 2008 (ending on September 30), Siemens Healthcare achieved sales of 11.17 billion euros and incoming orders totaling 11.78 billion euros. The Sector profit from operations amounted to 1.23 billion euros.

For more information, go to: www.siemens.com/healthcare

1 N Engl J Med 356;3. Boyd N.F. et Al., Mammographic Density and the Risk and Detection of Breast Cancer 2 Radiology 2002;225:165-175. Kolb T.M. et Al., Comparison of the Performance of Screening

Mammography, Physical Examination, and Breast US and Evaluation of Factors that Influence Them: An Analysis of 27,825 Patient Evaluations

Cancer Advances

Using Focal Therapy/3-D Mapping for Prostate Cancer: Look, No Surgery

Interventional radiologist can tailor treatment to each patient’s disease and offer good news in the form of the so-called “male lumpectomy” for men with prostate cancer. “Instead of removing the entire prostate, or freezing the entire prostate or using radiation on the entire prostate, interventional radiologists can visualize where the cancer is and just destroy the cancer,” says study author Gary M. Onik, M.D., interventional radiologist. And details about a better mapping biopsy for determining the extent of prostate cancer will be given.

Killing Kidney Cancer With Cold: Remarkable Results

More than 75 percent of individuals who are diagnosed with kidney cancer have tumors that are 4 centimeters or less in size. A leading cancer center weighs in with remarkable three-year results about the safety and efficacy of freezing – or using cryoablation – for kidney cancer tumors. It’s important that individuals and doctors are aware of the latest treatments advances – especially since the incidence of kidney cancer has been steadily increasing in this country over the past 30 years, notes Christos Georgiades, M.D., Ph.D., interventional radiologist.

Seeing “Lazarus Effect”: Relieving Painful Bone Tumor Pain

Often, individuals’ quality of life can be severely affected when they have metastatic bone disease. Normal daily activities can become difficult when the metastases become painful, appetite diminishes and the need for pain medications increases. An interventional radiology treatment can bring relief to individuals who have very large metastases and who are living with cancer.

Back Pain Treatment

Treating Herniated Disks: Pain Relief From Unexpected Source

Back pain is the most common cause of job-related disability and a leading contributor to missed work. Having a herniated disk can affect how one performs everyday activities and can cause severe pain that influences everything one does. However, invasive surgery for herniated disks could become a thing of the past – especially given the positive results of a minimally invasive interventional radiology injection treatment.

Women’s Health: C-sections and Invasive Placentas

Studying Women’s Health: Making Childbirth Safer

The rate of C-sections in the United States has risen greatly over the past decade, and, in 2005, 30 percent of all births were by C-section, according to recent statistics. Although generally a very safe procedure, complications of C-sections happen rarely and may include injuries to the blood vessels that can cause prolonged and sometimes life-threatening bleeding in the mother. Innovative, interventional radiology treatments are making childbirth safer for women who have C-sections that are complicated by massive bleeding and for those who suffer from the pregnancy condition of “invasive” placenta. The results of two studies detailing the effectiveness of minimally invasive treatments for pregnant women will be presented.

Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD)

Treating Peripheral Arterial Disease: Stem Cell Therapy Advances

Interventional radiologists are putting together the puzzle pieces of stem cell therapy to determine how to regenerate blood vessels to open clogged or narrowed arteries to treat peripheral arterial disease (PAD). A major research center presents its findings on advancing this research with the help of a firefly-like bioluminescence imaging agent and seaweed “bubble.”

Examining Heart Attack Risk: Surprising Look at Framingham Risk Scores (NHANES Data From More Than 6,000 Persons)

About 25 percent of all heart attacks or sudden cardiac deaths in the United States occur in individuals thought to be at low risk. If these individuals could be identified early on, primary prevention – such as initiating lifestyle changes and medical intervention directed at modifying risk factors – could be started before costlier and more intensive treatments are needed. Interventional radiologists can help improve the accuracy of cardiovascular risk prediction that could significantly impact public health.

Seeing the Promise of Drug-Eluting Stents for Critical Limb Ischemia

Interventional radiologists are helping peripheral arterial disease (PAD) patients with critical limb ischemia avoid amputation by exploring the treatment of the smaller blood vessels below the knee (typically difficult to treat because of their size) with drug-coated stents. Promising three-year data from a double-arm prospective registry will be presented.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Recommending Treatment for “Silent Killer”

Abdominal aortic aneurysms can be treated successfully by a minimally invasive procedure that eliminates the need to undergo a large abdominal incision from surgery or to clamp the aorta, the main artery from the heart. The durability and effectiveness of minimally invasive endovascular aneurysm repair – over an eightyear period and with nearly 500 patients – will be examined.

Chronic Kidney Disease/Dialysis Access

Finding that Age Doesn’t Matter: AV Fistulas and Dialysis

Is there a difference in how arteriovenous (AV) fistulas – vascular accesses needed for dialysis treatment – respond in younger and older patients? The results of a comparison study provide information on how interventional radiologists maintain access to chronic kidney disease patients’ circulatory systems to provide life-sustaining dialysis – based on one’s age.

About the Society of Interventional Radiology

Interventional radiologists are physicians who specialize in minimally invasive, targeted treatments. They offer the most in-depth knowledge of the least invasive treatments available coupled with diagnostic and clinical experience across all specialties. They use X-ray, MRI and other imaging to advance a catheter in the body, usually in an artery, to treat at the source of the disease internally. As the inventors of angioplasty and the catheter-delivered stent, which were first used in the legs to treat peripheral arterial disease, interventional radiologists pioneered minimally invasive modern medicine. Today, interventional oncology is a growing specialty area of interventional radiology. Interventional radiologists can deliver treatments for cancer directly to the tumor without significant side effects or damage to nearby normal tissue.

Many conditions that once required surgery can be treated less invasively by interventional radiologists. Interventional radiology treatments offer less risk, less pain and less recovery time compared to open surgery. Visit www.SIRweb.org.

“The three-day meeting provided the opportunity for dedicated breast radiologists to learn about the latest advances in breast MRI technology,” said Kamilia F. Kozlowski, M.D., president, Aurora Breast MRI Society, and medical director/CEO and clinical breast radiologist at the Knoxville Comprehensive Breast Center in Knoxville, Tenn. “It also provided us the opportunity to share our clinical experience, data, and enhance our professional development. In doing so, we can collectively improve the management and treatment of breast disease around the world.”

In addition to renowned breast radiologists, the group heard from distinguished medical colleagues. Aaron Ciechanover, M.D., DSc, of Haifa, Israel, spoke about how his Nobel-prize winning discoveries at the cellular level coupled with genetic research is paving the way toward improved, more personalized treatments for diseases such as breast cancer that could ultimately lead to prevention.

Louis Chow, M.D., executive director of the Organization for Oncology and Translational Research and medical director of the Comprehensive Centre for Breast Diseases at the UNIMED Medical Institute in Hong Kong, addressed the role MRI plays in evaluating therapies given to breast cancer patients prior to surgery, radiation and other treatments.

F. Lee Tucker, M.D., of Wirtz, Va., a consulting pathologist, spoke about the need for pathology to keep pace with advances in diagnostic imaging and for close cooperation among all medical members of the patient care team.

Arthur Lerner, M.D., surgical director at the Dickstein Cancer Treatment Center in White Plains, N.Y., talked about recent advances in nonsurgical techniques for treating early invasive breast cancers. He said breast MRI would play an important role in evaluating disease as researchers develop techniques to destroy small breast cancers with heat or extremely low temperatures without removing them from the breast.

World-renowned breast radiologists also shared interesting cases and the latest research involving breast MRI. Speakers included Steven Harms, M.D., clinical radiologist with the Breast Cancer Center of Northwest Arkansas in Fayetteville and medical director of Aurora Imaging Technology, Inc; Elsie Levin, M.D., medical director of the Faulkner-Sagoff Breast Imaging & Diagnostic Centre in Boston; Stephen Feig, M.D., director of breast imaging at University of California, Irvine Medical Center, and Aurora Breast MRI of Orange County; and Rebecca Stough, MD, clinical director of Breast MRI of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City.

Participants came not only from Israel and China, but also from Italy, Puerto Rico and across the United States.

The Aurora Breast MRI Society was established in 2006 to advance the use of cutting-edge dedicated breast MRI technology as an effective means to reduce the mortality and morbidity of breast cancer, which kills 400,000 women and men worldwide each year.

About the Aurora® Breast MRI Society

Breast radiologists worldwide who are committed to providing patients with state-of-the-art breast imaging have established the Aurora® Breast MRI Society. Society members have selected the Aurora® Dedicated Breast MRI System to offer patients its superior breast imaging and interventional capabilities. To support its mission to advance the use of cutting-edge dedicated breast MRI technology as an effective means to reduce the mortality and morbidity of breast cancer, the Aurora Breast MRI Society’s goal is to educate the medical profession, lay public and health care industry about the vital role of breast MRI in the earlier detection of breast cancer and more effective evaluation of breast disease.

For more information about the Aurora Breast MRI Society, or to inquire about becoming a Society member, visit http://www.aurorabmrisociety.org.