Westchester Medical Center First in Region to Offer Brain Tumor Therapy That Can Slow Progression, Lessen Side Effects and Reduce Frequency of Post-Surgical Treatments

Adobe Stock / SciePro

Westchester Medical Center recently became the first neurosurgical oncology program in the Hudson Valley to offer a targeted therapy for brain tumors that can help delay tumor progression, spare healthy tissue and reduce the number of post-surgical radiation treatments — including the side effects that come with them.

Cleared for use by the Food and Drug Administration for appropriate patients, the GammaTile® therapy consists of a postage-stamp-sized implant surgically embedded into a patient’s brain at the time of tumor removal. The implant immediately releases targeted, therapeutic doses of radiation to any remaining tumor cells in the surgical area. This process continues as the patient goes about his or her daily life, allowing the patient to bypass traditional radiation treatments, which may require as many as 30.

The National Brain Tumor Society estimates that over 84,000 people in the U.S. will receive a primary brain tumor diagnosis in 2021. GammaTile’s precise application targets and delivers therapy to the area of the brain most likely to have a recurrence, thereby improving ongoing tumor control. The precision of the treatment spares healthy tissue and lessens the impact of common radiation side effects, such as hair loss, fatigue and nausea.

“Brain tumor diagnosis, removal and aftercare can pose quite a challenge for the patient and his or her family,” said Simon Hanft, MD, Chief of Neurosurgical Oncology at Westchester Medical Center. “We are always searching for ways to lessen the impact of such a diagnosis while maintaining treatment effectiveness.”

GammaTile is the latest in a series of neuroscience technology investments made by WMCHealth to improve patient outcomes and get patients back to their everyday lives as soon as possible.