Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) is announcing a series of educational symposia about its revolutionary RapidArc(TM) radiotherapy technology for faster and more precise cancer treatments. These symposia offer clinicians the opportunity to learn more about a technology that makes it possible to deliver image-guided, intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) two to eight times faster than is possible with conventional IMRT or helical tomotherapy.

“RapidArc represents a major medical advance that will revolutionize the way image-guided IMRT is planned and delivered for thousands and thousands of patients,” says Dow Wilson, president of Varian’s Oncology Systems business. “Interest in RapidArc is tremendous and we’re finding that our radiation oncology clinicians are eager to learn how to implement it in their centers, so we’re holding several events including symposia and webinars to address that interest.”

RapidArc, which recently received two FDA clearances for the treatment hardware and the treatment planning software module in Varian’s Eclipse(TM) treatment planning system, quickly delivers a complete volumetric IMRT treatment in a restricted arc of the treatment machine around the patient. Varian has started taking orders for RapidArc, and will start delivering it to customers in the spring of 2008.

“RapidArc should construct more precise and faster radiotherapy a more affordable and more accessible treatment option for more cancer patients,” says Wilson. “Varian is again providing technology advances that extend the versatility of a treatment system, adding volumetric arc therapy to other advanced capabilities including fixed-beam IMRT, image-guidance and stereotactic, electron and respiratory-gated treatments.

“No other company offers that level of options for customizing treatments according to each patient’s specific needs on one treatment machine. Doctors can utilize the advances of RapidArc for prostate and head and neck treatments, and still offer world-class fixed beam IMRT treatments with motion management for lung and breast tumors and electron treatments for patients with superficial lesions.”

The first symposium has already taken place in Dallas, Texas and future events are scheduled for Orlando, FL. (February 28th); Newport Beach, CA. (March 18th); Chicago, IL. (May 3rd); Boston, MA.(May 7th); Philadelphia, PA. (June 12th); and Toronto, Canada (date tbc). External speakers have included Dr. Karl Otto, PhD, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver and Dr. Cedric Yu, ScD, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD. These symposia are intended exclusively for medical professionals.

Original post by Mallows