Local Physicist Presents Research Findings at International Meeting

BOULDER, Colo. — Bradley Schuller, Ph.D. and physicist with Boulder-based Rocky Mountain CyberKnife, recently presented research findings from a pilot study conducted in conjunction with Mountain Radiation Oncology Consultants at the 53rd annual meeting of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) in Vancouver.

The study examined the calculation of cumulative biological effective dose (BED) distributions in multi-modality cancer treatment plans, specifically those in which patients were treated with conventional radiation therapy followed by stereotactic body radiotherapy. The BED represents the amount of radiation delivered to a tumor site and takes into account various factors influencing the effects of radiation on a given tissue.

Few reported studies have examined the feasibility of constructing cumulative BED distributions in combined treatment regimes.

Schuller’s research findings will serve as a reference tool for physicists engaged in similar radiation therapy treatment planning as that of the pilot study, which analyzed tissue response in patients who received conventional radiation therapy followed by stereotactic body radiotherapy with the CyberKnife.

“There is increased evidence supporting stereotactic body radiotherapy as a supplemental treatment option following conventional radiation therapy, and we wanted to take a closer look at how body tissue responds to the radiation dose delivered when these treatment methods are combined,” said Schuller. “Our research opens the door for future related studies and provides a useful tool for doctors and physicists involved in radiation therapy treatment planning.”

Rocky Mountain CyberKnife was formed through a partnership between Boulder Community Hospital and US Radiosurgery. It was established in 2003 as the first CyberKnife center in Colorado, marking only the eighth CyberKnife program operating in the U.S. at that time. Since then, the center has performed over 4,500 CyberKnife treatments on patients from 35 different states.

CyberKnife treats cancerous and benign tumors in the brain, spine, lung, liver, pancreas and prostate through a process called stereotactic body radiotherapy, a noninvasive method of treating tumors with high-dose radiation precisely aimed from different angles. The result is greatly increased accuracy that spares healthy tissue. Treatments are complete in one to five treatment sessions.

Rocky Mountain CyberKnife is a service of Boulder Community Hospital and is located at 905 Alpine Ave. in Boulder, Colo. For more information, call (303) 448-4620 or visit www.rockymountainck.com.