New Targeted Therapy for Brain Tumors is Now Offered at UnityPoint Health – John Stoddard Cancer Center

UnityPoint Health – John Stoddard Cancer Center has become the first in Iowa to treat a patient with GammaTile® Therapy, an innovative approach to combating brain tumors. This FDA-cleared, Surgically Targeted Radiation Therapy (STaRT) is designed to delay tumor regrowth while preserving healthy brain tissue, offering new hope to patients facing aggressive brain tumors.

“GammaTile Therapy gives us a new tool to target tumor cells precisely where recurrence is most likely, bringing new hope to people with life-threatening brain tumors,” says Samuel Schroeder, MD, radiation oncologist at Stoddard Cancer Center. “GammaTile Therapy reduces the need for prolonged radiation schedules, delivering treatment in a single surgical procedure. It’s a highly targeted approach that minimizes side effects, allowing patients to maintain their quality of life.”

Aggressive brain tumors, which impact more than 200,000 people annually in the U.S., tend to be resistant to traditional treatments and have a high recurrence rate. GammaTile Therapy, FDA-cleared for both patients with newly diagnosed malignant brain tumors and recurrent tumors, including gliomas, glioblastomas, meningiomas and brain metastases, offers a new form of treatment.

“GammaTile therapy involves implanting postage-stamp-sized tiles embedded with radiation sources into the brain during the final minutes of tumor removal surgery. The radiation immediately begins targeting tumor cells in the area where the tumor is most likely to recur,” says Scott Seaman, MD, neurosurgeon with The Iowa Clinic. “Over time and after the radiation has been delivered, the tile naturally resorbs. GammaTile Therapy is shown to improve local tumor control, which can extend a patient’s life.”

The previous standard of care for patients with operable brain tumors was surgical removal of the tumor followed by adjuvant therapy, including radiation and chemotherapy. Traditional radiation is delivered in as many as 30 treatments extending over a period of several weeks. This causes a substantial burden of treatment for patients and their caregivers alike. With GammaTile Therapy, patients receive treatment as they go about their daily lives. Additionally, GammaTile is a highly targeted therapy that delivers a therapeutic dose to the area most likely to have a recurrence, healthy tissue is spared. As a result, most patients can avoid common side effects like hair loss.

“Through a collaboration between our radiation oncologists and Dr. Seaman, at The Iowa Clinic, we were able to bring this specialized treatment to Central Iowa, helping to redefine brain tumor care,” says Sarah Zeidler, Stoddard Cancer Center executive director. “The introduction of GammaTile Therapy at Stoddard Cancer Center reflects our commitment to bringing advanced cancer care to Central Iowa.”

John Stoddard Cancer Center joins an elite group of cancer treatment centers nationwide offering GammaTile Therapy.