GammaTile Therapy

At Covenant HealthCare we provide the latest medical device advancements and treatment options to enhance the lives of the patients under our care. We strive to deliver the best outcomes and highest value of service through compassion, reliability, innovation, and excellence. We are proud to offer GammaTile Therapy, the latest FDA-cleared device for the treatment of operable brain tumors.

GammaTile in Forceps
GammaTile in Forceps

What is GammaTile Therapy?

GammaTile Therapy is a Surgically Targeted Radiation Therapy (STaRT) that provides immediate, dose-intense treatment at the completion of resection. GammaTile is a biocompatible, permanent collagen tile implant that delivers radiation therapy to the area where the brain tumor was removed. Each tile is 2 cm x 2 cm and 4-mm thick and contains 4 Cesium-131 (Cs-131) titanium-encased sources. Resection plus GammaTile Therapy can extend local recurrence-free survival with minimal complications, reduced patient burden, and assured compliance.1

How does GammaTile Therapy work?

After the neurosurgeon has safely removed as much of the tumor as possible, GammaTiles are placed into the operative bed, covering the tumor cavity with tiles. The number of tiles used will depend on the size and location of the tumor. It takes approximately five minutes for the surgeon to place the tiles at the end of tumor removal surgery prior to closing the incision.

Once the GammaTiles are placed, they immediately begin delivering a uniform radiation dose to the target area:

  • 50% of the therapeutic dose is delivered within the first 10 days after surgery, which helps prevent residual tumor cells from replicating.2
  • 88% of the therapeutic dose is delivered within 30 days, with more than 95% of the dose delivered by 6 weeks.2

The structural offset of the sources from brain tissue helps prevent healthy tissue from the side effects of radiation.3 Over time, the therapeutic dose of radiation is delivered, and the tile is naturally absorbed by the body. Eventually, only the small, inactive titanium sources remain.

What are the clinical outcomes of GammaTile Therapy?

For patients with recurrent meningiomas and brain metastases, studies have demonstrated a significant reduction in treatment site recurrence, compared to their previous treatments.5–6

In patients with recurrent glioblastomas (GBMs), GammaTile Therapy demonstrates a potential for improved overall survival when comparing the effectiveness of surgery plus GammaTile Therapy to other treatment modalities across different clinical studies.

Who is eligible to receive GammaTile Therapy?

The latest advancement in brain tumor treatment, GammaTile Therapy is FDA-cleared to treat patients with newly diagnosed malignant and recurrent brain tumors.

What are the side effects of GammaTile Therapy?

Most patients experience fewer side effects than patients who have received other radiation treatments.1–2, 6 Some patients experience postoperative side effects, including nausea, vomiting, headache, sleepiness, neurodeficit, seizures, and skin irritation.

For more information on GammaTile Therapy, speak with your Neurosurgeon or Radiation Oncologist.

Covenant Neurosurgery 989-752-1177

Covenant Radiation Center 989-583-5250

REFERENCES

  1. 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.
  2. Brachman D, Youssef E, Dardis C, et al. 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.
  3. Brachman D, Youssef E, Dardis C, et al. Resection and permanent intracranial brachytherapy using modular, biocompatible cesium-131 implants: results in 20 recurrent, previously irradiated meningiomas. J Neurosurg. 2019;131(6):1819-1828
  4. Rogers L, Nakaji P, Youssef E, et al. Resection and surgically targeted radiation therapy for initial salvage treatment of aggressive meningioma: results from a prospective trial. Presented at: CNS 2020 Virtual Meeting; September 30, 2020.
  5. Nakaji P, Smith K, Youssef E, et al. Resection and surgically targeted radiation therapy for the treatment of larger recurrent or newly diagnosed brain metastasis: results from a prospective trial. Cureus. 12(11):1-12.
  6. Choi M, Zabramski J. Re-Irradiation using brachytherapy for recurrent intracranial tumors: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature. Cureus 12(8): e9666. doi:10.7759/cureus.9666.