The OR team that completed Mr. Pettenati’s procedure. Pictured holding a sample GammaTile is Dr. Danish, to his immediate left is Jersey Shore University Medical Center’s Co-Director of Neurosurgical Oncology Nitesh Patel, M.D.
Newswise — Hackensack Meridian Neuroscience Institute at Jersey Shore University Medical Center successfully performed the first GammaTile® implant in the state. The device was implanted in a patient with recurrent meningioma, a brain tumor, to deliver radiation immediately at the time of surgery, targeting residual cancer cells to help prevent recurrence while minimizing harm to healthy tissue.
John Pettenati, age 61, of Ringoes, NJ, is the first patient to receive GammaTile® at Jersey Shore University Medical Center (JSUMC). “As a follower of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I’m so thankful for his provision in my life, including the ability to have this groundbreaking procedure performed by my doctors at Jersey Shore University Medical Center,” said John. “I’m glad that I am able to receive this one-time procedure, rather than a course of therapy, and without having to travel to New York City or very far from home.”
“As a leading provider of cancer care in New Jersey, including the state’s premier cancer center, the John Theurer Cancer Center, Hackensack Meridian Health continues to provide patients with the latest treatments and therapies,” said Robert C. Garrett, FACHE, chief executive officer of Hackensack Meridian Health. “GammaTile is a prime example of our teams bringing leading-edge medical advances to our community.”
Over 200,000 patients are diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor in the U.S. each year. Aggressive brain tumors tend to be resistant to current treatments and have a high likelihood of recurrence. “John became very interested in GammaTile when we discussed that its implantation would only take a few minutes at the end of his brain tumor removal surgery, and it would allow him to receive the radiation therapy he needed without commuting to a radiation outpatient clinic every day for several weeks,” said Timothy Chen, M.D., medical director, CNS radiation oncology program at JSUMC and medical director, proton therapy department of radiation oncology, Hackensack Meridian Health (HMH). “Given the larger size of his tumor and his previous exposure to radiation therapy, GammaTile will provide the benefits of limiting the surrounding normal brain tissue’s exposure to further radiation.”
Making up about 40% of all primary brain tumors in the United States, meningiomas usually don’t show any signs, especially in its earlier stages. People with meningiomas might not feel anything wrong, and the tumor is often found incidentally, when doctors conduct tests for other health reasons.
Shabbar Danish, M.D., chair of neurosurgery, Hackensack Meridian Neuroscience Institute at JSUMC, performed the implantation immediately after removing the brain tumor. “We focus on offering the best possible, leading-edge treatments and therapies to all our patients,” said Dr. Danish. “GammaTile offers a transformative solution by providing patients with effective radiation precisely at the same time of surgery. The ability to streamline patient care is invaluable to patients and their caretakers.”
The technology is the only FDA-cleared innovation in brain brachytherapy and was developed by GT Medical Technologies, Inc., a medical device company dedicated to improving the lives of patients with brain tumors. To date, more than 1,200 patients have been successfully treated with GammaTile® in the U.S. Additional details include the following.
- FDA clearance indication statement: GammaTile® is FDA-cleared for patients with newly diagnosed malignant brain tumors and recurrent brain tumors, including gliomas, glioblastomas, meningiomas, and brain metastases.
- GammaTile® provides immediate, effective, focused radiation to the brain tumor cavity starting at the time of tumor removal to help eradicate residual tumor cells.
- GammaTile® delivers targeted brain radiation immediately after surgery—the only FDA-cleared revolutionary innovation in brain brachytherapy.
- It is the only FDA-cleared bioresorbable collagen implant that delivers brain radiation immediately after surgery to help eradicate residual tumor cells.
- GammaTile® expands effective treatment options for doctors, hospitals, patients and families
- GammaTile® minimizes hair loss, commonly experienced with external beam radiation to the brain.
“Our community benefits from the entire Neuroscience Institute team’s commitment to providing all our patients with high-quality, compassionate care,” said Vito Buccellato, MPA, LNHA, president and chief hospital executive of the academic medical center.
The Neuroscience Institute at JSUMC is home to experts in a comprehensive array of neurological diseases and conditions. They provide advanced diagnostic, medical, and surgical treatments at the academic medical center for multiple sclerosis (MS), stroke, epilepsy, and other movement disorders, pediatric neurology, headaches and migraines, sleep medicine, and neuro-oncology, among others. Neuroscience services also include the Center for Memory and Healthy Aging, Center for Paralysis and Reconstructive Nerve Surgery, Center for Advanced Skull Base Surgery, Craniofacial Center, which is certified as an American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association, and a General Neurosurgery Program, including spine surgery.
“GammaTile is a great example of how our neuroscience team continues to innovate and expand options to offer the best treatments for patients, utilizing state-of-the-art techniques and devices,” said Kenneth N. Sable, M.D., MBA, FACEP, regional president southern market, HMH. “I’m proud the team is able to provide the latest and greatest medicine to our community.”
GammaTile® is also available for patients at Hackensack Meridian JFK University Medical Center. For more information or to make an appointment, call 732-974-0003. For information about JSUMC, visit www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org/en/Locations/jersey-shore-university-medical-center.
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