GammaTile Therapy
Education
Learn more about GammaTile Therapy
We invite you to browse through the videos, read the FAQs, and take a deep dive into the science behind GammaTile Therapy by watching the webinars and reading the clinical publications.
Note: In January 2020, GammaTile Therapy was FDA cleared for the treatment of newly diagnosed malignant brain tumors of all types in addition to the existing clearance for recurrent brain tumors.
GammaTile in the Media
DojoLIVE! | December 9, 2020 | GammaTile Therapy: a head STaRT in the fight against brain tumors
Michigan CBS | October 19, 2020 | Health watch: GammaTiles zap brain cancer
Florida NBC | March 20, 2020 | GammaTile: New approach for the treatment of brain tumors
Ohio CBS | November 7, 2019 | New brain cancer therapy provides radiation right at site of tumor
Ohio CBS | August 20, 2019 | Mayfield Brain and Spine neurosurgeon using new radiation therapy
Ivanhoe National | October 30, 2020 | GammaTiles zap brain cancer
WeTV | March 21, 2020 | New approach for the treatment of brain tumors on the lifestyle list
North Carolina CBS | January 24, 2020 | Vidant Health™ and the ECU Brody School of Medicine successfully perform the first-in-state GammaTile procedure
Cronkite News Division of Arizona PBS | Oct 22, 2019 | Battling brain tumors with time-released radiation
Arizona CBS | August 14, 2019 | New therapy to slow down brain tumors forever changes Arizona woman's life
Minnesota CBS | February 14, 2019 | New brain cancer treatment GammaTile Therapy at University of Minnesota with survivor Linda Tinega
March 18, 2020 | Physician Perspective on GammaTile Therapy | Dr. McCracken, a neurosurgeon at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital
August 14, 2019 | Physician Perspective on GammaTile Therapy | Dr Clark Chen, a neurosurgeon at University of Minnesota Health
Physician Perspectives
Founder Interview | October 1, 2018 |
Introducing GammaTile Therapy
FAQs
Below are the answers to important questions about GammaTile Therapy. Speak with your treatment team to see if GammaTile Therapy is right for you or your loved one.
What is GammaTile Therapy?
GammaTile is a Surgically Targeted Radiation Therapy (STaRT) for operable brain tumors that provides immediate radiation treatment after tumor removal. Each GammaTile has radiation sources embedded in a collagen tile that deliver a precise dose of radiation focused right where it is needed and away from healthy brain tissue. In a clinical study, this resulted in nearly twice as many tumor-free months compared to the patients’ most recent prior
same-site treatment.[1] Learn more about the clinical study.
How does GammaTile Therapy work?
The neurosurgeon places the GammaTile(s) precisely where treatment will help the most—immediately after tumor removal. Like other radiation therapies, GammaTile Therapy works by disrupting the tumor cell replication process. Radiation damages the tumor cell DNA, so the cell is unable to replicate and eventually dies. The collagen tile keeps the radiation sources in place while the radiation is being released. Over time, the body naturally absorbs the collagen tile.
Is GammaTile FDA approved?
GammaTile Therapy is FDA cleared to deliver radiation therapy for patients with newly diagnosed malignant brain tumors and recurrent brain tumors.
How is GammaTile Therapy different from other types of radiation therapy used to treat brain tumors?
With EBRT, the radiation comes from a machine outside of the body into the tumor area. One of the drawbacks of EBRT is that patients have to wait 2 to 3 weeks before beginning the radiation therapy to allow the surgical incision to heal after tumor removal surgery due to the potential of the radiation interfering with wound healing. Unfortunately, this treatment lapse provides a window for any remaining tumor cells to replicate and grow. In addition, EBRT requires an intense treatment schedule (of typically 15 to 30 sessions, 5 days a week, for 3 to 6 weeks) at a hospital or treatment center.
With brachytherapy, or internal radiation therapy, radiation sources are placed within the tumor resection cavity during surgery. While the radiation begins working right away, the dose can be extremely high around the radiation source. This can cause serious side effects, including swelling and damage to healthy brain tissue.
GammaTile Therapy starts targeting any remaining tumor cells immediately upon placement. With GammaTile Therapy, there is no intense treatment schedule, or need for patients and their caregivers to travel to and from a treatment center. Patients receive treatment in the comfort of their own homes, going about their daily life.
Do I have to stay in the hospital longer if I receive GammaTile Therapy?
No, typically there is no need to extend your hospital stay or to travel for additional, ongoing radiation treatments.
Will GammaTile Therapy lengthen my surgery?
No, GammaTile Therapy placement only takes a few minutes at the end of surgery.[1]
Does GammaTile Therapy replace chemotherapy?
Your treatment team may use GammaTile Therapy in conjunction with chemotherapy, depending on the type of tumor. Talk with your treatment team for guidance about your individual care plan.
Hear Dr Clark Chen, the chair of Neurosurgery at the University of Minnesota, explain how GammaTile Therapy can be used in conjunction with chemotherapy
Will GammaTile Therapy cause hair loss?
With GammaTile Therapy, radiation does not have to travel from outside of the body through the scalp to reach the tumor cells. Therefore, the likelihood of hair loss is low. In a clinical study on GammaTile Therapy, only 1 out of 74 patients experienced hair loss.[2]
If I have had radiation therapy in the brain previously, can I still have GammaTile Therapy?
In a recent clinical study, all patients treated with GammaTile Therapy had previously had radiation therapy in the brain.[1] However every situation is unique. Together with your care team, your radiation oncologist will review your previous records to determine if GammaTile Therapy might be right for you.
How long is the GammaTile radioactive?
With GammaTile Therapy, 90% of the radiation dose is delivered in 33 days. After 100 days, the GammaTile radiation sources are considered completely free of radiation.
Will I need to have surgery to remove the GammaTile(s)?
No, one of the great things about GammaTile Therapy is that the body naturally absorbs the collagen tile and the small, inactive seeds remain in the body.
Can GammaTile Therapy be used for cancers outside of the brain?
Currently, GammaTile Therapy is only indicated to treat newly diagnosed malignant brain tumors and recurrent brain tumors.
Can a patient have GammaTile Therapy more than once?
Yes, it is possible to receive GammaTile Therapy more than once if you meet the medical criteria and you and your healthcare provider decide it is appropriate for you.
What are the side effects of GammaTile Therapy?
Webinars
Patient Educational Event | April 29, 2020: Oscar, a survivor of a high-grade glioma treated with GammaTile Therapy
After a brief overview of GammaTile Therapy and how it works, Oscar shares his story in an interview about his glioma treatment journey, including 8 surgeries and GammaTile Therapy. In addition, Oscar gives us a glimpse of what it’s like being a patient during COVID 19 and provides candid insights into his treatment decisions. At the conclusion, Oscar answers specific questions about his GammaTile Therapy experience.
Patient Experience Video | April 21, 2020: Shannon, a survivor of a low-grade glioma treated with GammaTile Therapy
After a brief overview of GammaTile Therapy and how it works, Shannan shares her story in an interview about her glioma treatment experience, including GammaTile Therapy. At the conclusion, Shannon answers specific questions about her GammaTile Therapy experience.
American Brain Tumor Association | February 27, 2020
Webinar: Therapies Given During Surgery
This webinar provides a detailed overview of surgically implanted brain tumor therapies, including GammaTile Surgically Targeted Radiation Therapy (STaRT). Dr John A. Boockvar, the director of the Brain Tumor and Pituitary/Neuroendocrine Center at Lenox Hill, discusses various treatment options, highlights their differences, and provides guidance on how patients can talk with their heath team about their care plan.
2019 Brain Tumor Webinar Series | May 26, 2019
Webinar: GammaTiles for Brain Tumors
Watch an in-depth educational webinar about GammaTile Therapy, presented by world-renowned neurosurgeon Dr Joseph Zabramski and hosted by The Musella Foundation. Content includes background, safety and efficacy, surgical placement, a case study, and clinical trial information.
Clinical Publications
2020 Georgia Neurosurgical Society Annual Fall Meeting
Surgical outcomes of a novel collagen tile cesium brachytherapy for intracranial malignancy at a tertiary referral center
Andrew B. Boucher, MD; Hui-Kuo Shu MD, PhD; Jeffrey J. Olson, MD; Kimberly B. Hoang, MD. Presented at 2020 Georgia Neurosurgical Society Annual Fall Meeting; December 5, 2020. Read Abstract Text | View Abstract Presentation
Cureus 2020
Peter Nakaji, Kris Smith, Emad Youssef, Theresa Thomas, Dilini Pinnaduwage, Leland Rogers, Garrick Wallstrom, David Brachman. Cureus. 2020;12(11):e11570. Published November 19, 2020. Read here
SNO Annual Meeting 2020
L. Rogers, P. Nakaji, E. Youssef, K. Smith, J. Zabramski, T. Thomas, C. Dardis, D. Pinnaduwage and D. Brachman; St Joseph’s Hospital, Phoenix, AZ, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, GT Medical Technologies, Tempe, AZ. Presented November 19, 2020. Read here
CNS 2020 Virtual Meeting
Leland Rogers, MD; Peter Nakaji, MD; Emad Youssef, MD; Kris A. Smith, MD; Joseph Zabramski, MD; Theresa Thomas, MS; Christopher Dardis, MD; Dilini Pinnaduwage, PhD; David G. Brachman, MD; St Joseph’s Hospital, Phoenix, AZ; Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ; GT Medical Technologies, Tempe, AZ. Presented September 30, 2020. Read here
Cureus 2020
Mehee Choi, MD; Joseph Zabramski, MD in Cureus. 12(8):e9666. Published August 11, 2020. Read here
Future Oncology 2020
GammaTile: Surgically targeted radiation therapy for glioblastomas
Dominic J. Gessler, MD; Clara Ferreira, PhD; Kathryn Dusenbery, MD; Clark C. Chen, MD in Future Oncology. 16(30). Published online July 3, 2020. Read here
SNO 2020 Virtual Conference on Brain Metastases
A prospective trial of resection plus surgically targeted radiation therapy for brain metastasis
David Brachman, MD; Peter Nakaji, MD; Kris Smith, MD; Emad Youssef, MD; Theresa Thomas, MS; Dilini Pinnaduwage, PhD; C. Leland Rogers, MD; Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ; GT Medical Technologies, Tempe, AZ; St Joseph’s Hospital, Phoenix, AZ. Presented August 14, 2020. Read here
A randomized, multicenter phase III trial of surgery plus stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) compared with surgery plus permanently implanted collagen tile brachytherapy (CTBT) for resectable metastatic brain tumors-protocol in progress
Jeffrey Weinberg, MD, FAANS, FACS; Hussein Tawbi, MD, PhD; Frederick Lang, MD; Jeffrey Scott Wefel, PhD, ABPP; Jason Michael Johnson, MD; Heather Lin, PhD; Ying Yuan, PhD; Mary Frances McAleer, MD, PhD. Presented August 14, 2020. Read here
Permanent intracavitary Cs131 brachytherapy for previously-irradiated recurrent brain metastases: initial clinical and radiation safety experience
Nelson S. Moss, MD; Brandon Imber, MD; Kavya Prasad, MS; Bae Chu, MPH; Arun Goel, MD; David Aramburu-Nunez, PhD; Michael Bellamy, PhD; T. Jonathan Yang, MD; Atif Khan, MD; Laurence Dauer, PhD; Gilad Cohen, MS; Kathryn Beal, MD; Viviane Tabar, MD. Presented August 14, 2020. Read here
Current Oncology Reports 2020
Evolving strategies to potentially further optimize surgical interventions in brain cancer
Bindi B. Parikh, MD; Elizabeth C. Neil, MD in Current Oncology Reports. 22(32). Published March 6, 2020.
SNO Annual Meeting Abstract 2019
RTHP-32. First experience with gamma tile permanent implants for recurrent brain tumors
Clara Ferreira; Parham Alaei; Clark Chen; Margaret Reynolds; David Sterling; Kathryn Dusenbery in Neuro-Oncology. 21(Supplement_6):vi216. Published November 11, 2019. Read here
American Brachytherapy Society Annual Meeting 2019
Judith Stitt Best Abstract Award winner
David Brachman, MD; Emad Youssef, MD; Christopher Dardis, MD; Kris Smith, MD; Dilini Pinnaduwage, PhD; Peter Nakaji, MD in Brachytherapy. 18(3):S35-S36. Published May 1, 2019. Read here
AANS Annual Scientific Meeting Abstracts 2019–2020
Rosenblum-Mahaley Clinical Research Award winner for the best abstract in the field of neuro-oncology
Peter Nakaji, MD, FAANS; Emad Youssef, MD; Christopher Dardis, MD; Kris Smith, MD; Dilini Pinnaduwage, PhD; David Brachman, MD. Presented April 15, 2019. Read here
Vincent Anthony DiNapoli, MD; Yair Gozal, MD, PhD. Presented April 16, 2019. Read here
Journal of Neurosurgery Publication 2018
David G. Brachman, MD; Emad Youssef, MD; Christopher J. Dardis, MD; Nader Sanai, MD; Joseph M. Zabramski, MD; Kris A. Smith, MD; Andrew S. Little, MD; Andrew G. Shetter, MD; Theresa Thomas, MS; Heyoung L. McBride, MD, MS; Stephen Sorensen, PhD; Robert F. Spetzler, MD; Peter Nakaji, MDl in Journal of Neurosurgery. Published online December 21, 2018. Read here
White Papers
Intracranial Neoplasms: The Evolution of Radiotherapies
David Brachman, MD | December 2020. View & Download
Mehee Choi, MD and Brian Martin, MBA | November 2020 View & Download
REFERENCES
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Nakaji P, Youssef E, Dardis C, Smith K, Pinnaduwage D, Brachman D. Surgically targeted radiation therapy: a prospective trial in 79 recurrent, previously irradiated intracranial neoplasms. Poster presented at: 2019 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting; April 2019; San Diego, CA.
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Brachman D, Youssef E, Dardis C, Smith K, Pinnaduwage D, Nakaji P. Surgically targeted radiation therapy: Safety profile of collagen tile brachytherapy in 79 recurrent, previously irradiated intracranial neoplasms on a prospective clinical trial. Brachytherapy. 2019;18(3):S35-S36.