Stereotactic Radiosurgery in Treating Patients with Oligometastatic Disease

[6357axbz]

For anyone who may have an interest I spoke with the manager of radiation research at UPMC Shadyside Hospital to clarify eligibility for the subject trial (thank you NPFisherman). They arm they are currently recruiting for is for newly diagnosed patients who have had no previous treatment. I did ask if they did Stereotactic Radiosurgery outside of the trial to treat individual Mets and was told yes they did, as SOC, but depending on the met, insurance may require radiation prior to doing Radiosurgery if the radiation was ineffective. Anyone know what the distinction is between radiation and Radiosurgery?

[GP24]

Radiation is the normal IMRT radiation which takes several weeks. Radiosurgery is stereotactic radiation done with CyberKnife or a different radiation machine which can do stereotactic radiation.

I wonder how they want to determine whether the IMRT radiation was ineffective.

[6357axbz in reply to GP24]

I guess if the tumor is eliminated, gone, it was effective

[GP24 in reply to 6357axbz]

What type of imaging will you use to determine that?

I think you should have a PSMA PET/CT before radiating your mets. Otherwise you will radiate just a few of the existing mets.

[6357axbz in reply to GP24]

Good point

[GranPaSmurf]

My wife had stereotactic ablation radiation for lung cancer. The convergence of moving beams allows extremely tiny focus points - so as not to damage adjacent lung tissue during treatment. BTW - she is cancer free for 6 years.

[j-o-h-n in reply to GranPaSmurf]

Good for her, Congrats.....

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Saturday 07/06/2019 7:58 PM DST

[NPfisherman]

Thank you for acknowledging my information contribution. George71 and tango65 have also posted on this I believe and endorse--some info below on the differences:

cancer.stonybrookmedicine.e...

I guess it will be Dr. Heron for this trial. I believe Dr. Burton from the same group is doing the trial for recurrent PCa post treatment. Dr. Burton did my stereotactic radiation and it is not for the claustrophobic. After they get your "mask"--not the term--a see through mold that they make while isolating your tumors---that you will be strapped down with to insure that the radiation is focused on the tumors. You are then placed on the table and hit with the highly focused radiation. Takes about 5-15 minutes per treatment. I had no pain and no issues. Not the same for everyone, but Dr. Heron's preliminary release of data looks great.

My insurance would not cover initially, and so the RO had to appeal and won. I like UPMC Hillman Radiation group--I hope that I never have to use them again, but would not hesitate to do so if needed.

Fish

[6357axbz in reply to NPfisherman]

I was informed today that Dr Heron is no longer with them

[NPfisherman]

I also spoke with one of the other RO's in the group and he seemed good...Who is doing the trial for them??

Fish

[6357axbz]

Didn’t ask but Dr Burton is listed as one of the contacts

[NPfisherman]

I didn't see anyone that I felt didn't know their "Stuff" when I talked with them--Attendings or Residents. The wife went with me and she agreed. She is a genius and the smartest woman I ever met ... LOL... It is the truth...

Fish

[j-o-h-n in reply to NPfisherman]

Only dumb thing she ever did.... was to marry you...👀

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Saturday 07/06/2019 8:00 PM DST

[NPfisherman in reply to j-o-h-n]

Dolly said the same thing about taking up with you...that Dolly...she is a gas bag anyway....

Fish

[j-o-h-n in reply to NPfisherman]

Dolly's ego needs deflating..........Two timing wench...🤢🤢🤢

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Saturday 07/06/2019 11:35 PM DST