SUNNYVALE, Calif., April 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Accuray Incorporated (Nasdaq: ARAY), a global leader in the field of radiosurgery, today announced that the Hirslanden Clinic in Zurich, part of the renowned Hirslanden group of private hospitals, has purchased a CyberKnife System. This marks the first System sold in Switzerland, allowing patients greater access to the benefits of extracranial radiosurgery.
Since its beginning in the 1930s, the Hirslanden private hospital group has been a pioneer in the development of innovative treatment concepts. Hirslanden clinics continually adjust their medical and technical equipment according to current developments, as part of their contribution to improving the health and quality of life of their patients. The Hirslanden Clinic's purchase of a CyberKnife System is part of Hirslanden Hospital Group's further development of a stereotactic radiosurgery practice. The System will be utilized for both intracranial and extracranial treatments, particularly the non-invasive treatment of prostate cancer. Ideally the addition of the CyberKnife System will support the establishment of the Neurocenter Zurich, which will offer a full range of therapeutic options in neurological diseases.
"With the purchase of the CyberKnife, we can now offer the complete spectrum of a modern radiation-oncology program," said Dr. Christian von Briel, co-chairman of Hirslanden radiation-oncology "We are also very excited to start a scientific cooperation with the CyberKnife centre in Nice, France. We are confident that working with this academic hospital will be valuable for the development of our extracranial activity."
According to the National Swiss Cancer Association 34,406 people are expected to be diagnosed with cancer in Switzerland during 2008. Of that, 18,660 are men and prostate cancer is expected to make up 30 percent of those cases.
"We are pleased that the Hirslanden Clinic in Zurich, a busy, full service practice with various oncology solutions, has purchased a CyberKnife System to address radiosurgery's unique role in cancer care," said Euan S. Thomson, Ph.D., president and CEO of Accuray. "It is clear that the Clinic recognizes the distinct differences between radiation therapy and radiosurgery, and is taking this step to offer the benefits of radiosurgery to its patients."
The Hirslanden Clinic in Zurich is a 259-bed, modern, private clinic, which belongs to the leading Hirslanden private hospital group in Switzerland. The Hirslanden private hospital group covers 25 areas of medical expertise and consists of 13 clinics with more than 1,200 beds and 4,600 employees.
About the CyberKnife(R) Robotic Radiosurgery System
The CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System is the world's only robotic radiosurgery system designed to treat tumors anywhere in the body non-invasively. Using continual image guidance technology and computer controlled robotic mobility, the CyberKnife System automatically tracks, detects and corrects for tumor and patient movement in real-time throughout the treatment. This enables the CyberKnife System to deliver high-dose radiation with pinpoint precision, which minimizes damage to surrounding healthy tissue and eliminates the need for invasive head or body stabilization frames.
About Accuray
Accuray Incorporated (Nasdaq: ARAY), based in Sunnyvale, Calif., is a global leader in the field of radiosurgery dedicated to providing an improved quality of life and a non-surgical treatment option for those diagnosed with cancer. Accuray develops and markets the CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System, which extends the benefits of radiosurgery to include extracranial tumors, including those in the spine, lung, prostate, liver and pancreas. To date, the CyberKnife System has been used to treat more than 40,000 patients worldwide and currently more than 125 systems have been installed in leading hospitals in the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit http://www.accuray.com.
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SOURCE Accuray Incorporated
