The Radiosurgery Society™ Completes its First Scientific Meeting as an Independent Society

CAMPBELL, Calif., March 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Radiosurgery Society™ (RSS), a non-profit organization of medical professionals dedicated to advancing the science and clinical practice of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) and radiosurgery (SRS), held its first independent Scientific Meeting on February 23-25, 2012, at the La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, Calif., with close to 500 attendees. The philosophy of the RSS: By bringing together professionals from diverse radiation and surgical specialties for scientific exchanges as well as direct interactions with medical device and product manufacturers, the RSS can help to break down barriers that hinder development of new clinical paradigms. 

The meeting featured more than 70 clinical, technical, oral and poster presentations selected by a panel of scientists from diverse disciplines. Presentations were given by specialists from throughout the world, who focused on a wide spectrum of applications, including the treatment of tumors in the brain, spine, lung, breast, prostate, kidney, liver, pancreas, and head and neck.  Other presentations covered: How radiosurgery can be combined with tumor vaccines and targeted therapies against tumor stem cells, C. Guha, M.D. Ph.D., and very early data on the use of radiosurgery in the treatment of bipolar disease, J. Adler, M.D.  One day was particularly lively, referred to as "The Showdown at La Costa," where leading clinicians presented their techniques for delivering radiosurgery for the treatment of brain, lung, liver and prostate cancer, and contrasted these with other treatment approaches; encouraging debate, discussion and questions from the audience.    

Because the RSS Scientific Meeting was focused on the sharing of concentrated clinical and scientific material from various fields, attendees were eligible to receive continuing medical education (CE) credits for physicists, dosimetrists, and radiation therapists and continuing medical education (CME) credits for physicians and nurses, accredited through The Institute for Medical Education.  Thanks to an unrestricted educational grant from Varian Medical Systems, all RSS Members will have free access to video recorded and CME awarded meeting content.

"As a radiosurgeon and former neurosurgeon, I was encouraged to see how the field of radiosurgery is expanding and maturing in such indications as lung, liver and renal applications as presented at the RSS Scientific Meeting. Obviously, a lot more credible research has yet to be done, but the direction into full body radiosurgery is clear and I believe that 10 years from now there will be a different approach to how we treat localized tumors throughout the body. The Radiosurgery Society is committed to following this path together with the technological leaders in the radiation oncology field with the goal to make patient treatments safer and more effective every day," said Alexander Muacevic, M.D., radiosurgeon with the European Cyberknife Center in Munich, Germany, and current president of the Radiosurgery Society.

The Radiosurgery Society has gained the support of nearly 30 companies and community leaders, including Accuray Incorporated, Varian Medical Systems and Elekta.

"The need for radiosurgery around the world is vast, and is growing each year. The members of the RSS are essential in fulfilling this need, and do so through clinical trials, education, mentoring, and the translation of new technologies into clinical practice. The RSS members, and the companies that work with them to provide radiosurgical devices, represent the worldwide future of radiosurgery," said Timothy Guertin, president and CEO of Varian Medical Systems."

"I was honored to be part of the Radiosurgery Society's first scientific meeting as a fully independent society. The meeting provided an important forum for the sharing of clinical data between physicians and leaders in the industry," said Euan S. Thomson, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of Accuray. "We appreciate and support the Radiosurgery Society's efforts as together we work to advance the field of radiosurgery."

"With hypofractionation emerging as the standard of care for many cancers, Elekta was pleased to actively participate in the scientific dialogue brought forward through the RSS Scientific meeting. The success of this event clearly demonstrates the interest and potential for such therapies," said Jay Hoey, executive vice president, Elekta Region North America. "As a pioneer in developing these lifesaving techniques, Elekta is committed to providing the clinical community with the tools necessary to continually enhance safety and effectiveness."

About The Radiosurgery Society™
The Radiosurgery Society (RSS) – a non-profit, independent, multi-disciplinary organization of surgeons, radiation oncologists, physicists, and allied professionals, who are dedicated to advancing the science and clinical practice of radiosurgery. Originally formed in 2002 and becoming (501c6) in 2008, the Radiosurgery Society today represents approximately 700 members who perform stereotactic body radiotherapy and radiosurgery in hospitals and freestanding centers throughout the world.  www.therss.org.

The Institute for Medical Education(SM) is accredited by the Institute for Medical Quality/California Medical Association (IMQ/CMA) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The Institute for Medical Education takes responsibility for the content, quality and scientific integrity of this CME activity. www.ime-cme.com

SOURCE The Radiosurgery Society

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