Optune At an Opportune Time
Optune At an Opportune Time
AN INNOVATIVE DEVICE IN THE BATTLE AGAINST BRAIN CANCER
Glioblastoma( GBM),
the most common and aggressive form of primary malignant brain tumors in the United States, affects approximately 12,500 Americans each year. Historically, the average overall survival from the time of first diagnosis is 15 months with treatment, and even shorter if it returns following treatment.
A major study published in the December 2015 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association indicated that a new medical device, Optune, increases the survival rates for newly-diagnosed adult GBM patients, and is as effective as chemotherapy for adults with recurrent GBM.
Optune, now offered at Karmanos Cancer Institute at McLaren Flint, delivers frequency-specific, low intensity,
alternating electric fields that interrupt cancer cell structures during division and can cause cancer cells to die. The portable device consists of a power pack worn on the body with transmitters that are applied to a shaved head. It is designed for continuous use( at least 18 hours per day).
The study stated newly- diagnosed GBM patients treated with the Optune system and chemotherapy experienced significantly improved survival rates. For recurrent GBM patients, the Optune device is used as an alternative to standard medical therapy after surgical and radiation options have been exhausted. The recurrent patients experience survival rates similar to that of chemotherapy, but with a better quality of life and fewer
“ The portable device
consists of a power pack worn on the body with transmitters that are applied to a shaved head.
“
side effects.
“ The benefit in survival is the largest we have seen in over a decade for this disease,” stated Kiran Devisetty, MD, one of the three radiation oncology specialists at Karmanos Cancer Institute at McLaren Flint, who has been certified to prescribe Optune.
Dr. Devisetty; Hesham Gayar, MD; and Jack Nettleton, MD; are pleased to offer this additional treatment option to their patients with glioblastoma at the Karmanos Cancer Institute at McLaren Flint.
31
InnovativeHealthMag. com