Taipei Medical University-Taipei Cancer Center Offers a New and Noninvasive Treatment for Bone Cancer Pain

TAIPEI, Taiwan, July 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

Taipei Medical University-Taipei Cancer Center (TMU-TCC) announced today that its Taipei Cancer Center (TCC) is now offering a new technology, ExAblate, to improve the quality of life of patients suffering from painful bone metastases. Taipei Cancer Center, affiliated hospital of Taipei Medical University, sets up the first radiation oncology clinic in Taiwan opening its doors to cancer patients and offering this type of treatment.

ExAblate is an MR guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) system, which combines therapeutic acoustic ultrasound waves and continuous guidance and treatment monitoring with an MRI. "We are excited to offer our patients a new and noninvasive course of treatment," said Professor. Jeng Fong Chiou, Vice Superintendent of Taipei Cancer Center. "This treatment provides quick and lasting pain relief without radiation and most patients have reported pain relief within a few days," he emphasized.

ExAblate, developed by InSightec (Israel), is the only US FDA approved MRgFUS system (2012 for the indication of bone metastases related to pain management). ExAblate treatments ensure a high rate of effectiveness with minimal damage to surrounding tissue.

"Taipei Cancer Center joins other world class prestigious centers around the world who are now offering patients innovative MR guided focused ultrasound therapy for the benefit of Taiwan citizens," said Dr. Roni Yagel, Vice President International markets of InSightec, who was present at the site inauguration. "We look forward to working with Taipei Cancer Center to lead the way to offering non-invasive solutions for a wide variety of indications," he added.

Bone metastases occur when cancer cells spread from their primary site to other parts of the body. More than two-thirds of breast and prostate cancers, for example, spread to the bones. Pain is the most severe symptom, for which pain medications and palliative radiation therapy are the most common treatments prescribed. However, up to 30% percent of patients either do not respond to radiation therapy or are unable to undergo radiation for pain relief. The US Journal of the National Cancer Institute recently published a study confirming that MRgFUS can relieve pain and improve function in most patients with bone tumors.

For more information, please contact the Taipei Cancer Center at (02) 6636-9060, http://www.cancertaipei.tw/

The open access article may be read here.

About Taipei Medical University-Taipei Cancer Center 

Taipei Medical University (TMU) is one of the largest health care systems in Taiwan and includes a medical university and three hospitals: Taipei Medical University Hospital, Wan Fang Hospital, and Shuang Ho Hospital. Altogether, the three hospitals have a total of more than 3,000 beds. Taipei Medical University established the Taipei Cancer Center (TCC) in the beginning of 2012, the first world-class cancer center in Taiwan that combines cancer research, training and clinical treatment supported by experts from Taiwan and abroad. The Center is dedicated to providing a full spectrum of services for adult and pediatric oncology patients and their families.

About InSightec 

InSightec Ltd. is the pioneer and global leader in MR guided focused ultrasound technology. Founded in 1999 by GE Healthcare (then GE Medical Systems) and Elbit Medical Imaging its mission is to transform its MR guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) into a clinically viable technology.

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