AdventHealth Neuroscience Institute Achieves ELITE Status for Use of Innovative Brain Tumor Treatment

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  • Megan Paquin
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Care Perspectives
Dr. Field during surgery

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The AdventHealth Neuroscience Institute is celebrating a new designation as one of only 20 ELITE GammaTile Centers in the U.S. This recognition comes as the institute’s neurosurgeons and oncologists have successfully completed 10 GammaTile procedures since becoming the first in Central Florida to treat aggressive brain tumors with this advanced technology.

GammaTile Therapy is a novel Surgically Targeted Radiation Therapy (STaRT) for operable brain tumors. Implanted in the last five minutes of brain tumor removal surgery, each bioresorbable, 3D-collagen GammaTile is embedded with radiation sources. GammaTile Therapy delivers a sustained, controlled, therapeutic radiation dose, targeting tumor cells while sparing healthy tissue.

A piece of GammaTile being taken out from its tray.

“Our commitment to complete, whole-person neurological care begins with our world-class specialists who consistently seek out leading-edge therapies for our patients,” said Craig Brubaker, vice president of AdventHealth’s Neuroscience Institute. “This milestone exemplifies their dedication, and we are pleased to be able to bring this advanced level of brain care to residents of this community.”

Dr. Melvin Field added, “This innovation is giving our patients a head-start in the fight against brain tumors. With GammaTile, we can immediately and precisely target cancer-involved tissues with a high dose of radiation, potentially extending our patients lives and helping maintain a higher quality of life throughout their treatment.”

In the past 50 years, only seven drugs or devices have been FDA-approved or -cleared to treat brain tumors. The latest advancement in brain tumor treatment, GammaTile Therapy was FDA-cleared in 2018 for recurrent brain tumors, including recurrent high-grade gliomas, glioblastomas, meningiomas and brain metastases. In 2020, the FDA expanded that indication to include newly diagnosed malignant brain tumors. For more information, visit the AdventHealth Neuroscience Institute’s brain tumor program here.

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