Piedmont Atlanta one of 20 hospitals in the country to perform leading-edge procedure

Atlanta, Ga. (July 31, 2020) – The Piedmont Brain Tumor Center is one of the first centers in the country to offer a leading-edge treatment for patients with newly diagnosed malignant and recurrent brain tumors. The treatment, called GammaTile Therapy, is an FDA-cleared, surgically targeted radiation therapy (STaRT) designed to delay tumor regrowth for patients with brain tumors, while protecting healthy brain tissue.

“We are excited to be able to offer GammaTile Therapy because it provides a treatment option for patients who may have run out of options prior to this therapy,” said Dr. Jay McCracken, M.D., Co-Director of the Piedmont Brain Tumor Center and one of the first neurosurgeons in the Southeast to utilize GammaTile Therapy. “GammaTile allows us to provide upfront radiation treatment following removal of a brain tumor without the need to wait 4-to-6 weeks after surgery. It can prolong life and keep a brain tumor from coming back so quickly.”

GammaTiles are placed along the surgical cavity following resection of a brain tumor. The actual tiles are bioresorbable and embedded with a Cesium radiation source which immediately begin to target residual tumor cells as soon as the surgery is complete. This method allows for direct targeting of cancer cells without the side effect of damaging normal surrounding brain tissue, scalp, or bone.

The unique design limits side effects typically associated with radiation therapy, including hair loss. Additionally, the burden of radiation treatment is reduced for patients treated with GammaTile Therapy. These patients receive their course of radiation while going about their daily lives, requiring no additional trips to the hospital or clinic for radiation therapy. 

“We are honored to be working with the brain tumor specialists at The Piedmont Brain Tumor Center to deploy GammaTile Therapy for the purpose of improving the lives of patients with brain tumors,” said Matt Likens, President and CEO of GT MedTech, maker of GammaTile. “We are excited to begin expanding the availability of GammaTile Therapy to other leading brain tumor treatment centers across the U.S.”

GammaTile Therapy, which became available to patients with newly diagnosed malignant and recurrent brain tumors in January 2019, is the most recent treatment cleared or approved by the FDA.

“This technology could help patients live longer, better lives, without the need for other types of treatment,” said Dr. McCracken. “This is innovative, game-changing technology that can improve the lives of our patients.”