Varian unveils new technology that improves organ protection without compromising target radiation therapy

MedTech & Diagnostics News: Varian, a Siemens Healthineers company, has launched the RapidArc Dynamic to the global radiation therapy community at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) conference, marking an advancement in cancer treatment technology.

“Being surrounded by industry leaders and passionate colleagues, all united by a shared mission to improve cancer care, was nothing short of inspiring. You could feel the buzz in the room – every conversation, every handshake, and every demo was charged with a sense of possibility and progress,” said Sasa Mutic, President of Radiation Oncology Solutions at Varian Medical Systems.

A new study featuring Australia’s own Ben Archibald-Heeren, Group Manager of Development and Implementation at Icon Group, Sydney, showcased the benefits of RapidArc Dynamic in breast cancer radiation therapy. The study demonstrated that the technology significantly enhances organs-at-risk (OAR) sparing while maintaining crucial target coverage.

“It’s been a privilege to be part of the launch of Varian’s RapidArc Dynamic and hear from Ben Archibald-Heeren who spoke on the impact this new technology will have for patients with breast cancer,” said Adjunct Professor Trent Aland, Executive Clinical Manager at Icon Group.

The study evaluated the performance of the new treatment planning system (TPS) tool integrated with RapidArc Dynamic, enabling the use of static angle ports and dynamic collimator rotation during volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). The results revealed that the new VMATp approach showed statistically significant improvements in OAR sparing across 8 out of 10 clinical goals.

Key findings included a 22% reduction in mean heart dose (p<0.001), a 66% decrease in right lung V5Gy (p<0.001), and a 38% reduction in right lung mean dose (p<0.001). Additionally, the right breast mean dose dropped by 37%, and the left lung V4Gy saw a 16% reduction (p<0.001).

While the dose to 95% of target volumes remained consistent between VMAT and VMATp, a 1% decrease in internal mammary chain (IMC) dose (p=0.003) was observed, though coverage remained “clinically acceptable”.

Further analysis revealed that these improvements held true for patients with or without lymph node involvement. For patients with nodes, the V16Gy in the left lung increased by 9% (p=0.026), while for those without nodes, it decreased by 20% (p=0.002).

“We show that for breast irradiation, VMATp improves OAR sparing while assuring target coverage,” the authors concluded.

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