Varian, part of Siemens Healthineers, has successfully completed enrollment and treatment for its FAST-02 clinical trial, which studied the use of Flash radiotherapy to treat painful bone metastases in the thoracic region. This progress marks an important step toward bringing this fast, investigational treatment into wider clinical practice. The trial aimed to assess patient responses to the therapy, focusing on pain relief and treatment side effects, building on previous research from the FAST-01 trial that targeted metastases in the limbs.
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The study was conducted at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and the UC Health Proton Therapy Center with 10 participants. It was led by Dr. John Perentesis, Professor and Director of the Cancer and Blood Disease Institute at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, alongside co-investigator Dr. Emily Daugherty, Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center. Flash therapy is notable for delivering radiation doses in less than one second, which is over 100 times faster than conventional radiation treatment. Preclinical studies suggest this method can reduce damage to healthy tissues while maintaining effective tumor control.
Dr. John Perentesis noted that completing treatment for FAST-02 is a significant advancement in confirming the safety and effectiveness of Flash radiotherapy. He said this innovation has the potential to transform how radiation therapy is performed and improve outcomes for patients.
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For the trial, Varian adapted its ProBeam proton therapy system to deliver the ultra-high dose rates required for Flash therapy. The Eclipse treatment planning software was also enhanced to support this new approach, creating an integrated solution for treatment planning and delivery. Anthony Mascia, Executive Director and Director of Medical Physics at the Cincinnati Proton Therapy Center, described the combination of advanced hardware and planning as a major technical achievement, highlighting the careful balance of pushing limits while ensuring patient safety.
The trial received additional support from OSF HealthCare, a healthcare system in Illinois and Michigan, which helped identify and refer patients. Dr. James McGee, Founding Director of the OSF Cancer Institute, expressed pride in contributing to research that advances Flash therapy, seeing it as a promising development for cancer care. Dr. Deepak “Dee” Khuntia, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Varian, emphasized the importance of completing enrollment, reinforcing Varian’s commitment to developing transformative cancer treatments. He also praised the collaboration with clinical partners who share the company’s vision. Now that treatment is complete, Varian will analyze the trial data to guide future studies and explore broader applications for Flash therapy.
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