The University of Maryland Medical Center offers a new Trilogy of Radiation Oncology program at their downtown Baltimore facility.The cancer center, first in the world to provide proton therapy and hyperthermia under one roof, offers the best in cancer treatment technologies to patients. With the addition of the Gammapod treatment system for early-stage breast cancer, the UMMC maintains it's standing as a leader in patient care.
UPDATE: The ESTRO and WCB conference dates have been pushed back as a precaution to travel-related health risks in neighboring European countries.
World Congress of Brachytherapy 2020 and the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology ESTRO 2020, will be held at the Reed Meese Congress Center, Vienna, Austria this year, April 2-4, 2020, July 31st to August 4th. Together they provide a broad spectrum of lectures, exhibits, and information on the state of radiotherapy treatment. Pyrexar will be represented in both events by Sennewald Medizintechnik GmbH.
UCSF-Predicting Benefit from Advanced Radiation Technologies
On March 27th-29th, the Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, will offer a CME Course titled "Predicting Benefit from Advanced Radiation Technologies." The 3-day event will cover a vast array of radiotherapy topics, including two presentations on hyperthermia's role in radiation oncology. Pyrexar is supporting this event with a sponsorship. - UCSF Event Registration Link
The German Cancer Congress (DKK / Deutscher Krebskongress) is the largest and oldest congress covering cancer diagnostics and therapy in German-speaking countries. The 34th annual congress will take place from February 19th - 22nd, 2020, at the CityCube in Berlin. Thermal oncology experts, Dr. Sennewald Medizintechnik, will be exhibiting Pyrexar's hyperthermia system solutions in booth D1.5 in hall B.
If you are planning on attending, please make a note to attend Hyperthermia Interdisciplinary Working Group (IAH) session titled: Hyperthermia - Indications and Combinations, on Saturday, February 22nd, 2020.
CHAIRS:
Daniel Zips MD, UMC Tubingen, Germany Felix Krummradt, UMC Heidelberg, Germany
Peter Wust MD UMC Charité Berlin
"Current state of technology and relevant studies."
Oliver Ott MD UMC Erlangen
"Neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy with regional hyperthermia in rectal cancer (HyRec phase II study)"
Cihan Gani MD UMC Tubingen
"Hyperthermia as part of organ-preserving therapy concepts for rectal cancer."
Rolf Isssels MD UMC Munich Grosshadern
"Interim analysis of the HEAT phase III study on adjuvant therapy for pancreatic cancer."
Economics of setting up Hyperthermia Center in Emerging Economies
Hyperthermia from India HIPEC and HIFU
Innovations in Technology
You may recognize several of the hyperthermia luminaries scheduled to speak which include, Dr. Zeljko Vujaskovic of the University of Maryland Medical Center, Dr. Jacoba van der Zee, Dr. Gerard van Rhoon, and Dr. Hans Creeze of Erasmus MC, The Netherlands,
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A special thanks to Dr. Nagraj G. Hiulgol and Dr. Jugna Bhattacharya for their work in bringing hyperthermia awareness and education to India.
Our friends at Thermosome continue to move their drug targeting platform forward. In a recent video, (shown below) they describe the development of their drug targeting system using focal heat as the release trigger.
BSD-2000 3D/MR makes an appearance at 01:03
Thermosome has developed a drug release system that targets the tumor with a 10 to 15 times higher local drug concentration over standard delivery. They do this by micro-encapsulating approved chemo drugs with a shell of thermosensitive liposomes (TSL). The TSL encapsulated drug is circulated via IV to the patient during the thermal therapy treatment, only releasing it when the surrounding environment reaches 42˚C, which is 5˚C higher than average body temperature.
Deep Regional Hyperthermia plays an important role by creating the necessary 42˚C microenvironment around the tumor. Combining Thermosome with the BSD-2000 3D/MR provides stable temperatures in a defined focal region. Additional patient benefit is derived from the positive thermal effects of increased blood flow and perfusion at the tumor site, the immune modulation generated by heating, and the increased concentration of chemotherapeutics. The visual aspect of the MRI guidance (3D heat zone mapping) offers operator assurance that the tumor area is entirely at the target temperature when the drug is administered.
Hanoi High Tech and Digestive Center at the St. Paul Hospital in Vietnam launches its thermal oncology program with the assistance of Dr. Mark Hurwitz. In the photo above, Dr. Hurwitz is explaining the functions of the thermal mapping probe of the newly installed BSD-2000 3D deep regional hyperthermia system.
Saint Paul General Hospital opened the Digestive Center in 2017, specializing in endoscopic surgery and the treatment of digestive disease including stomach and pelvic cancers. Built following European standards, it is the country’s leading endoscopic surgery facility.
Dr. Hurwitz was invited to lecture on hyperthermia best practices and share his vast knowledge and experiences in the field of thermal oncology and its role in cancer treatment.
Dr. Hurwitz is a globally known thermal oncologist and radiation oncologist. He is currently Vice-Chair for Quality, Safety & Performance Excellence, and Director of Thermal Oncology, Department of Radiation Oncology, at Jefferson Health, Sidney Kimmel Medical College.
Often a featured lecturer at conferences throughout the U.S., Europe, and Asia, his hands-on clinical knowledge of both deep regional and superficial thermal therapy prepares new sites, like St. Paul, to become leaders in this cancer treatment technology.
A special thanks to Pyrexar Medical Vietnam distributor Thai Thinh Medical for sponsoring this event.
A special thanks to our distributor, Tema Sinergie, for their excellent representation and continuing efforts in expanding hyperthermia throughout Italy.
Pyrexar Medical exhibited at the PTCOG-NA (Particle Therapy Cooperative Group - North America) held at the Miami Cancer Institute, part of Baptist Health South Florida.
The conference organizers invited Dr. Zeljko Vujaskovic, Director of the Division of Translational Radiation Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, to be a featured speaker at the event. Dr. Vujaskovic presented "Hyperthermia and Protons: Is This the Safe Way to Get the 'Carbon Effect'?" which included some clinical results from the dual therapy. Dr. Vujaskovic and his team at the UMMC have been treating patients with combined hyperthermia and proton beam since the center opened in 2015. The hospital treats patients with the BSD-500 Superficial/Interstitial and the BSD-2000 Deep Regional Hyperthermia System along with protons with great success. His colleague, Dr. J.D. Snider, presented "Concurrent Pencil Beam Scanning Proton Therapy and Hyperthermia: Growing Experience with Promising Results."
(L to R) Dr. Gerhard Sennewald, Dr. Sennewald Medizintechnik; Mark Falkowski, CEO and Mark Kidd, VP Sales and Business Development; Pyrexar Medical
Adding hyperthermia to proton therapy is not new. A BSD-2000 Deep Regional Hyperthermia System located at Kantonsspital Aarau, Switzerland, has established protocols for the combined treatment with excellent outcomes. But the hyperthermia suite and the proton center are a 30-minute drive apart. Therapeutic results can undoubtedly be achieved within the dual therapies recommended target window, but for obvious reasons, this can be a deterrent in best practice and clinical testing. Now with the world's first proton therapy and hyperthermia in the same center (See Hyperthermia + Proton Beam, Now in the US), there are more significant opportunities for clinical research.
There have been a lot of firsts at the Maryland Proton Center. First Proton Center in the region; First center to offer both Hyperthermia + Protons at the same facility, and now they are experiencing another First by treating their 2000th patient!
In their press release, the University states that "just three years after opening its doors, the Maryland Proton Treatment Center (MPTC) has reached a major milestone by treating its 2,000th patient. MPTC is the first proton treatment center to open in the District/Maryland/Virginia region. It is also the only treatment center in the world that offers both proton and thermal therapies in one facility". See the complete press release.
A key figure in the success of the thermal oncology department, Dr. Zeljko Vujaskovic, not only advocates for patients under his care; but continues to share his knowledge, research, and advancements in thermal oncology as he travels the globe as a featured speaker at medical conferences. For Pyrexar Medical, it is a privilege to be associated with such a distinguished group of professionals, researchers, and practitioners of thermal oncology.
Take a Virtual Tour of the BSD-2000
Take a virtual visit to the Thermal Oncology department at the University of Maryland and the BSD-2000 Deep Regional Hyperthermia System. [Note: Hold down the mouse key to move the camera, click to move around the room and use the mouse wheel to zoom
University of Maryland Thermal Oncology School CME course held at the Maryland Proton Center in Baltimore, MD
The educational team included (left to right) JW Snider, MD; Paul Stauffer; Dario Rodrigues, PhD; Jason Molitoris, MD, PhD; Mariana Guerrero,PhD; John Hayes,MD; and Zeljko Vujaskovic, MD, Phd
Participants from the U.S., Poland, South Korea and key hospitals in the U.S. attended the 2-day lecture and workshop
Professor Stauffer, from Thomas Jefferson University, discusses Treatment Planning and Execution
Dr. Rodrigues demonstrates temperature probe placement in a phantom on the BSD-2000
Dr. Guerrero (UMMC) with Mr. Stauffer (Thomas Jefferson) demonstrate the operation of the BSD-500 Superficial/Interstitial Hyperthermia system.
Participants discuss the operation of the BSD-2000 Deep Regional Hyperthermia System
The thermal oncology staff at the University of Maryland use lasers for reliable, repeatable patient positioning
Doctors' Biswal and Rodriques discuss operational safety and RF field management
Using a phantom to simulate temperature management on the BSD-500
South Korean delegation at the Maryland Proton Center
The course drew an international crowd, including physicians from South Korea, Poland, and Japan, as well as prominent cancer centers here in the U.S. From the feedback we received, and this was a five-star educational program, valuable to any member of a thermal oncology team. Topics covered all aspects of practice management, patient treatment, physics, and workflow. Practice managers shared how adding thermal oncology to their services increased overall service revenue by over 19%. This information is essential for centers that would like to add hyperthermia systems but require cost justification to receive purchase approval.
Based on the higher than expected turnout and the response from the participants, we hope this to be offered again in 2020.
Pyrexar Medical will be an exhibiting sponsor of the PTCOG-NA (Particle Therapy Co-Operative Group - North America) in Miami, Florida, October 14-16, our first participation in this annual event. Pyrexar's interest in proton therapy focused after reading a 2014 article published in the International Journal of Hyperthermia by Prof. Dr. Niloy Datta exploring proton therapy and hyperthermia.
Since then, Pyrexar placed a BSD-2000 Deep Regional Hyperthermia System at the University of Maryland Proton Center. The first installation in the world to offer both a proton therapy system and hyperthermia system under the same roof. This installation, along with further clinical study, will move us closer to understanding the relationship of protons combined with focused heating.
For more information on attending the upcoming PTCOG-NA conference, follow the link.
In the last few weeks, Pyrexar products were presented at conferences in Warsaw, Poland; Miami, Florida; Barcelona, Spain; and Münster, Germany. So thankful for our global partners' efforts to educate oncologists and physicists on the benefits of hyperthermia in the treatment of cancer. We wanted to share a few images of these events with you.
Pyrexar's first time at the SEOR (Spanish Society of Radiation Oncology) in Spain, represented by our distributor Magna Medic Systems based in Málaga, Spain. The organization has been making tremendous strides in the introduction of hyperthermia to oncologists in the region.
Pyrexar's first engagement at the ABS (American Brachytherapy Society). Our goal is to demonstrate that adding hyperthermia as an adjunct to brachytherapy boosted the effectiveness of this radiotherapy treatment without interrupting workflow. It was an excellent show, and we will be back next year.
Pyrexar represented by our distribution partner Magna Medic Systems at the XX Congreso SEOR in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
The Sociedad Española de Oncología Clínica (Spanish Society of Radiation Oncology) is an association of more than 1000 specialists from Spain (including doctors in training) whose work is developed primarily in the treatment of cancer through the use of ionizing radiation. The annual meeting is an excellent opportunity to share ideas and data from around the world.
Earlier this year, Magna Medic placed a BSD-500 Superficial Hyperthermia unit at the Clinica Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain. The facility boasts a 135 bed, 225,000 sqft facility with eight specialty surgical suites to support cardiac surgery, neurosurgery, ophthalmology, general surgery, and traumatology. Clinica Sagrada currently performs over 12,000 surgeries per year.
We are very thankful for the hard work the Magna Medic team has done to bring hyperthermia to Spain.
This is our first time exhibiting at the conference, and we believe we have a compelling solution to offer. HDR (high dose rate) brachytherapy and hyperthermia share some of the same market challenges. The bottom line is that brachytherapy plus hyperthermia improve cancer patient outcomes.
Like hyperthermia, brachytherapy is a sub-specialty that requires a specific skill set to treat patients. And like hyperthermia, brachytherapy is known to produce increased tumor control without an increase in toxicity. Product planning for hyperthermia is very similar, and the system utilizes the existing brachy catheters placed during HDR.
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