1. < Pancreatic Cancer

"new" radiation therapy technique (SMART)

Posted by steveron @steveron, May 15 6:04pm

Stereotactic MR-guided on-table adaptive radiation therapy (SMART) for borderline resectable and locally advanced pancreatic cancer

Anyone experienced and/or familiar with this "new" radiation technique wherein the beam continually realigns in real time during treatment by tracking the tumor as the body vibrates/moves, which I believe is unlike "traditional" therapy wherein the beam is focused on one spot based on the previous day's scan?

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stageivsurvivor | @stageivsurvivor | May 16 5:32am

I believe this is the MRIdian system by the company ViewRay which was on the verge or had filed for bankruptcy protection and was searching for a buyer. There is or was a phase II trial of the technology at several sites in the US and one international site. The last update regarding the study was posted in 2022.
https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03621644

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1 reply
steveron | @steveron | May 16 10:52am

Thanks for the response and congratulations on 12 years. This week we learned the company was purchased and the technique is being used at Baptist Health in Miami. We discussed it with their lead MD. We haven't found anyone else using it. We're looking for anyone who has used the technique or has any other info on it. We also learned of the SCINTIX process which uses PET imaging to realign the radiation beam as the tumor moves, but it has only been approved by the FDA for lung cancer. It is used at Stanford, Yale, Hackensack-Meridian, and City of Hope. Thanks again and best wishes for continued good health.

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1 reply
steveron | @steveron | May 16 11:00am

While researching pancreatic cancer radiation treatments, we learned of the SCINTIX process which uses PET imaging to realign the radiation beam as the tumor moves. This has only been approved by the FDA for lung cancer. It is used at Stanford, Yale, Hackensack-Meridian, and City of Hope.

We were researching the SMART system, which uses MRI imaging to realign the radiation beam in real time. It is used for pancreatic cancer at Baptist Health in Miami.

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1 reply
marienewland | @mnewland99 | May 17 7:40am
In reply to @steveron "Thanks for the response and congratulations on 12 years. This week we learned the company was..." + (show)
@steveron

Thanks for the response and congratulations on 12 years. This week we learned the company was purchased and the technique is being used at Baptist Health in Miami. We discussed it with their lead MD. We haven't found anyone else using it. We're looking for anyone who has used the technique or has any other info on it. We also learned of the SCINTIX process which uses PET imaging to realign the radiation beam as the tumor moves, but it has only been approved by the FDA for lung cancer. It is used at Stanford, Yale, Hackensack-Meridian, and City of Hope. Thanks again and best wishes for continued good health.

Jump to this post

In December 2023 I was still with Hoag Hospital and my oncologist and GI dr who did my USECRP determined my cancer had returned and now was at stage 4. I was offered Viewray and subsequently read about the bankruptcy and asked my dr about it (Dr. Seery). She told me it was true , but that it was up and running at Hoag Hospital (Orange County, CA) as of December. For several reasons to lengthy to explain here I decided to switch to UCLA, center of excellence. I don’t know if their Viewray is running yet, but my oncologist there preferred palliative care of aggressive chemo of GAC of a 3:1 schedule (3 weeks of chemo with 1 week off). My CA19-9 plummeted from 3840 to between 22-24, - I had 2 different antigen tests) and 1 of 2 liver lesions shrunk and 1 lesion is un detectable. However, the masses in my abdominal peritoneum and soft tissue around my hepatic artery remain stable (still there, but not growing though the hepatic artery area has shrunk in 1 direction). When my chemo starts working I’m hoping a clinical trial through UCLA, Claudin 18.2 will be open (I did recently test positive for that protein) as it has had promising results for gastric cancer in the past and is now on clinical trial for pancreatic cancer. Hoag Hospital Radiation Dept (Newport Beach location I believe) might have information regarding g Viewray, or contact Dr. Seery, oncologist; and best wishes for your success!

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1 reply
marienewland | @mnewland99 | May 17 7:43am
In reply to @mnewland99 "In December 2023 I was still with Hoag Hospital and my oncologist and GI dr who..." + (show)
@mnewland99

In December 2023 I was still with Hoag Hospital and my oncologist and GI dr who did my USECRP determined my cancer had returned and now was at stage 4. I was offered Viewray and subsequently read about the bankruptcy and asked my dr about it (Dr. Seery). She told me it was true , but that it was up and running at Hoag Hospital (Orange County, CA) as of December. For several reasons to lengthy to explain here I decided to switch to UCLA, center of excellence. I don’t know if their Viewray is running yet, but my oncologist there preferred palliative care of aggressive chemo of GAC of a 3:1 schedule (3 weeks of chemo with 1 week off). My CA19-9 plummeted from 3840 to between 22-24, - I had 2 different antigen tests) and 1 of 2 liver lesions shrunk and 1 lesion is un detectable. However, the masses in my abdominal peritoneum and soft tissue around my hepatic artery remain stable (still there, but not growing though the hepatic artery area has shrunk in 1 direction). When my chemo starts working I’m hoping a clinical trial through UCLA, Claudin 18.2 will be open (I did recently test positive for that protein) as it has had promising results for gastric cancer in the past and is now on clinical trial for pancreatic cancer. Hoag Hospital Radiation Dept (Newport Beach location I believe) might have information regarding g Viewray, or contact Dr. Seery, oncologist; and best wishes for your success!

Jump to this post

Forgive my spelling mistakes as I’m just using my iPhone. US-ERCP!

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1 reply
marienewland | @mnewland99 | May 17 7:46am
In reply to @mnewland99 "Forgive my spelling mistakes as I’m just using my iPhone. US-ERCP!" + (show)
@mnewland99

Forgive my spelling mistakes as I’m just using my iPhone. US-ERCP!

Jump to this post

Really bad today! I must have chemo brain today after my chemo yesterday! When my chemo stops working!! I was switched to a 2:1 schedule after my CA19-9 went down to 52.

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denzie | @denzie | May 18 7:14am
In reply to @steveron "While researching pancreatic cancer radiation treatments, we learned of the SCINTIX process which uses PET imaging..." + (show)
@steveron

While researching pancreatic cancer radiation treatments, we learned of the SCINTIX process which uses PET imaging to realign the radiation beam as the tumor moves. This has only been approved by the FDA for lung cancer. It is used at Stanford, Yale, Hackensack-Meridian, and City of Hope.

We were researching the SMART system, which uses MRI imaging to realign the radiation beam in real time. It is used for pancreatic cancer at Baptist Health in Miami.

Jump to this post

My friend was treated for her pancreatic cancer with the MRI guided radiation at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit during the latter part of 2020. As a lung cancer patient I was very interested in the technology and was allowed into the treatment room when her treatment finished for the day.

At this time I am away from home and don't have access to the business card I was given. I will make a note to find the doctors card and get back with it.

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1 reply
steveron | @steveron | May 23 7:16am
In reply to @denzie "My friend was treated for her pancreatic cancer with the MRI guided radiation at Henry Ford..." + (show)
@denzie

My friend was treated for her pancreatic cancer with the MRI guided radiation at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit during the latter part of 2020. As a lung cancer patient I was very interested in the technology and was allowed into the treatment room when her treatment finished for the day.

At this time I am away from home and don't have access to the business card I was given. I will make a note to find the doctors card and get back with it.

Jump to this post

Thanks for info on Henry Ford. We've contacted them and need to work out insurance issues. Thanks again

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rjm1942 | @rjm1942 | Nov 26 8:08am

Wondering if you have had this type of radiation. (MRI GUIDED) SMART. My husband is being scheduled for it and is quite worried about being able to tolerate it and what after treatment is like.

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2 replies
steveron | @steveron | Nov 26 11:34pm

My wife Diane turned out not to be a suitable candidate for this treatment. Here are patient stories which might help ease your worries:
https://letswinpc.org/survivor-stories/mri-guided-radiation-pancreatic-cancer/
https://letswinpc.org/survivor-stories/specialized-radiation-treatment/
Otter stories are available from Letswin Pancreatic Cancer, City of Hope (Dr. Percy Lee), and Baptist Health in Miami (Dr. Michael Choung).

Best wishes for successful treatment and recovery.

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