FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 25, 2003
Contact: Rebecca Watson; Public Relations Assistant
(732) 632-1586
New Jersey
Neuroscience Institute Milestone--
Gamma Knife Technology Used On 200th Patient
Edison, NJ- The New Jersey Neuroscience Institute at JFK Medical Center recently celebrated a milestone-the 200th application of gamma knife technology in the treatment of brain cancer. Gamma knife technology uses gamma radiation to direct a pinpoint beam of radiation to the tumor with minimal damage to the surrounding healthy brain. JFK Medical Center is the only hospital in New Jersey to offer this state-of-the-art technology.
Not actually a knife at all, the gamma knife is a unique device that has become a well-accepted standard of care for the non-surgical treatment of inaccessible or inoperable brain tumors, arterial venous malformations (AVMs) and trigeminal neuralgia. It focuses 201 cobalt-60 radiation beams, all simultaneously directed at a precise target defined by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). At the site where the 201 beams converge, enough radiation is generated to destroy a tumor or lesion deep within the brain. The beams are focused with such precision that radiation is delivered only to the target, sparing surrounding healthy tissue, blood vessels and nerves.
Dr. Joseph Landolfi, a neuro-oncologist and Medical Director of the Institute’s Gamma Knife Program comments, “Whole brain radiation has been the primary treatment for cancers that have spread to the brain. Unfortunately, this form of radiation has many side effects, the most serious being declining memory and cognition. Gamma knife technology offers an alternative with a more precise beam of radiation focused specifically on the tumor, offering significant benefits, such as fewer side effects with a less adverse effect on quality of life.”
Adds Landolfi, “Gamma knife technology has been considered a miracle for some patients who have received this treatment.”
There are an estimated 100,000 to 170,000 new patients with brain metastasis in the United States each year.
The New Jersey Neuroscience Institute at JFK Medical Center is a comprehensive facility designed exclusively for the diagnosis, treatment, and research of complex neurological disorders in adults and children. Services offered at the Institute include programs in spine and brain tumors, dizziness and balance disorders, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, stroke and movement disorders.
For more information on the New Jersey Neuroscience Institute, call 732-321-7950 or visit the facility online at www.njneuro.org.