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CyberKnife Radiosurgery for Lung Cancer Sees Increased Interest and Continued Rapid Growth

Posted on: Monday, 2 March 2009, 07:30 CST

SUNNYVALE, Calif., March 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Accuray Incorporated (Nasdaq: ARAY), a global leader in the field of radiosurgery, announced today significant growth in CyberKnife lung cancer treatments in calendar year 2008. The number of lung cancer patients treated with CyberKnife radiosurgery in the United States grew 52 percent from calendar year 2007 to 2008 and 43 percent worldwide. Additionally the overall number of patients treated with CyberKnife radiosurgery grew to more than 60,000 patients - a 14 percent increase from calendar year 2007 to 2008, demonstrating the increasing awareness and continued rapid adoption of CyberKnife radiosurgery, with lung being the leading extracranial indication by utilization in calendar year 2008.

The increasing interest in CyberKnife radiosurgery for lung tumors was further validated at this year's Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Meeting in San Francisco. Recent publication of several clinical papers describing the benefits of the CyberKnife System's accurate delivery of high dose radiation to treat lung cancer has helped to raise the profile of the CyberKnife System, particularly amongst this group of physicians.

Discussions by leading thoracic surgeons, such as James Luketich, M.D., Chief of The Heart, Lung and Esophageal Surgery Institute at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center highlighted the efficacy and resulting increased demand for CyberKnife treatments for lung cancer patients, while also emphasizing the need for thoracic surgeons to increase their awareness and involvement with CyberKnife radiosurgery. Dr. Luketich's points were further underscored by Richard Whyte, M.D., Professor of Thoracic Surgery at Stanford University School of Medicine. During his STS University session, Dr. Whyte reviewed the importance of the CyberKnife System as a tool available to the thoracic surgeon while also emphasizing the critical role surgeons play in the CyberKnife treatment process.

Jack A. Roth, M.D., Professor of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery and Johnson Distinguished Chair at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and others discussed the potential of CyberKnife radiosurgery, and in particular, the recently launched randomized, worldwide multicenter study of CyberKnife versus surgery for operable lung cancer. Currently the standard of care for early stage lung cancer patients is surgical removal of the tumor through a procedure known as lobectomy. Such procedures not only require considerable patient recovery and associated risks of infection and bleeding, they're also resource and cost intensive for providers and payors. While the CyberKnife System is currently accepted as a non-invasive treatment option for inoperable patients, this study is designed to provide evidence that may revolutionize the way operable early stage lung cancer is treated worldwide.

All of these highlights from the meeting are clear indications that physicians and patients are increasingly seeing the impact and value of CyberKnife radiosurgery in the treatment of lung cancer.

About the CyberKnife(R) Robotic Radiosurgery System

The CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System is the world's only robotic radiosurgery system designed to treat tumors anywhere in the body non-invasively. Using continual image guidance technology and computer controlled robotic mobility, the CyberKnife System automatically tracks, detects and corrects for tumor and patient movement in real-time throughout the treatment. This enables the CyberKnife System to deliver high-dose radiation with pinpoint precision, which minimizes damage to surrounding healthy tissue and eliminates the need for invasive head or body stabilization frames.

About Accuray

Accuray Incorporated (Nasdaq: ARAY), based in Sunnyvale, Calif., is a global leader in the field of radiosurgery dedicated to providing an improved quality of life and a non-surgical treatment option for those diagnosed with cancer. Accuray develops and markets the CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System, which extends the benefits of radiosurgery to include extracranial tumors, including those in the spine, lung, prostate, liver and pancreas. To date, the CyberKnife System has been used to treat more than 60,000 patients worldwide and currently more than 155 systems have been installed in leading hospitals in the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit www.accuray.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

The foregoing may contain certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including uncertainties associated with the medical device industry. Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release, including statements relating to clinical studies, regulatory review and approval, and commercialization of products are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statements are made and are based on information available at the time those statements are made and/or management's good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events. You should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual performance and results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements we make include: market acceptance of products; competing products, the combination of our products with complementary technology; and other risks detailed from time to time under the heading "Risk Factors" in our report on Form 10-K for the 2008 fiscal year, as updated in our Form 10-Q filed on February 5, 2009 and our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company's actual results of operations may differ significantly from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements as a result of these and other factors. We assume no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual performance or results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking information, except to the extent required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE Accuray Incorporated

Source: PR Newswire

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