Use of TheraSphere in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients Subject
of Several Physicians' Presentations
OTTAWA, March 16
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - MDS Nordion, a global leader in providing
products and services for medical imaging and radiotherapeutics,
and sterilization technologies, today announced that
TheraSphere(R), an innovative Yttrium-90 radioembolization
treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), commonly known as
primary liver cancer, was the topic of several major presentations
at the 2010 Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) 35th Annual
Scientific Meeting.
One of the presentations was focused on an investigator
initiated study led by Riad Salem,
MD, interventional radiologist and professor of radiology, medicine
and surgery at Northwestern University,
Chicago, Ill. Dr. Salem and
colleagues assessed clinical outcomes utilizing TheraSphere in 291
patients suffering from HCC. Robert
Lewandowski, MD, a co-author and an interventional
radiologist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, presented a
comprehensive analysis of the findings.
"This study is one of the first to look at radioembolization
treatment with a large cohort of patients at various stages of the
clinical disease progression," said Dr. Salem. "In our analysis, we
were able to determine what particular patient type would benefit
from this treatment. This study has provided significant data
points that could support future studies of similar scope."
Steve Hong, MD, a radiologist at
William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak,
Michigan, presented a study addressing the deterioration in
liver function following radioembolization treatment for HCC, for
which the principal investigator was Michael Savin, MD, an interventional radiology
researcher also from William Beaumont Hospital. The study concluded
that while liver deterioration is a known complication of
radioembolization, most liver deterioration appeared to occur due
to underlying cirrhosis or further progression of the patient's
liver cancer.
"These physicians have tremendous clinical experience and
insight with respect to TheraSphere and how it performs in patients
suffering from HCC," said Kevin
Brooks, Vice-President, Marketing, MDS Nordion. "The
existing standard of care for HCC treatment is maturing, and the
interventional radiology community recognizes that new and less
invasive therapeutic technologies, like TheraSphere, ultimately
benefit patients."
In addition, TheraSphere and radioembolization are the subject
of numerous other poster presentations, scientific sessions,
workshops and categorical courses at the SIR meeting. Those in
attendance can obtain a schedule of these sessions from the MDS
Nordion booth #1420 in the Technical Exhibit Hall. The abstracts of
the two aforementioned studies are available on the SIR website at
www.sirmeeting.org.
The Society of Interventional Radiology Annual Scientific
Meeting is the most comprehensive worldwide gathering for all
professionals practicing in the field of interventional radiology.
The event hosts a series of activities including technical
exhibits, workshops, and scientific and plenary sessions. This
year's meeting is at the Tampa
Convention Center, Florida from
March 13 to 18.
About TheraSphere
TheraSphere is a liver cancer therapy that consists of millions
of small glass beads (20 to 30 micrometers in diameter) containing
radioactive yttrium-90. The product is injected by physicians into
the main artery of the patient's liver through a catheter, which
allows the treatment to be delivered directly to the tumor via
blood vessels. TheraSphere treatment can generally be administered
on an outpatient basis and does not usually require an overnight
hospital stay. TheraSphere, 100% reimbursed by Medicare and many
commercial health insurers, is approved by the U.S Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) under a humanitarian device exemption. It is
used to treat patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma
and can be used as a bridge to surgery or transplantation in these
patients. It can also be used to treat primary liver cancer
patients with portal vein thrombosis. Humanitarian Use Device
approvals are based on demonstrated safety and probable clinical
benefit; however effectiveness of the indication for use has not
been established.
TheraSphere treatment has some common side effects, including
mild to moderate fatigue, pain and nausea for about a week.
Physicians describe these symptoms as similar to those of the
common flu. Some patients will experience some loss of appetite and
temporary changes in several blood tests. For details on rare or
more severe side effects, please refer to the TheraSphere package
insert at www.mdsnordion.com/TheraSphere.
About MDS
MDS Inc. (TSX: MDS; NYSE: MDZ) is a global health science
company that provides market-leading products and services used for
the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease. We are a
leading provider of innovative technologies for use in medical
imaging and radiotherapeutics, and sterilization technologies
benefiting the lives of millions of people in more than 65
countries around the world. Our products and services are used
daily by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, medical-device
manufacturers, hospitals, clinics and research laboratories. MDS
has more than 850 highly skilled people in five locations. Find out
more at www.mdsinc.com or www.mdsnordion.com.
SOURCE MDS Nordion