Inova is first hospital in VA-DC-MD to offer new targeted therapy for brain tumors

GammaTile Therapy is shown to slow brain tumor progression, designed to improve patient and caregiver quality of life

Oct. 16. 2023, Fairfax, VA – Inova is proud to announce that Inova Fairfax Hospital is the first and only hospital in the Washington, DC region – including Virginia and Maryland – to offer GammaTile® Therapy, a novel approach to treating brain tumors. GammaTile Therapy is an FDA-cleared, Surgically Targeted Radiation Therapy (STaRT) designed to delay tumor regrowth for patients with brain tumors while protecting healthy brain tissue. The first patient at Inova was treated by neurosurgeons Gillian Harrison, MD and Mateo Ziu, MD, Medical Director, Inova Brain and Spine Tumor Program and Co-Director, Neuro-Oncology, Inova Schar Cancer Institute; and, Kevin Choe, MD, PhD, Medical Director for Neuro Radiation Oncology at Inova.

“As a surgeon, it’s an incredible honor to be at the forefront of medical innovation by being the first in our region to use GammaTile,” said Dr. Ziu. “We are excited about the potential this technique holds for the future of neurosurgery and for our patients.”

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. GammaTile is FDA-cleared for patients with newly diagnosed malignant brain tumors and recurrent brain tumors, including gliomas, glioblastomas, meningiomas, and brain metastases.

Postage-stamp-sized biodegradable collagen tiles, which are embedded with small radiation sources, hence the name of GammaTile, are implanted at the end of a brain tumor removal surgery. The radiation immediately begins targeting tumor cells in the surrounding area where the tumor is most likely to recur, which slows tumor regrowth and can extend a patient’s life. The tiles deliver continuous treatment as patients go about their daily lives. GammaTile delivers radiation directly to the targeted area while sparing healthy brain tissue. Most patients also avoid losing their hair during treatment.  

“GammaTile is transforming the way we can treat brain tumors. It allows us to offer our patients more precise and effective treatment, ultimately improving their quality of life and giving new hope to patients facing a brain tumor diagnosis,” said Dr. Choe.

“We’re excited to introduce GammaTile as the latest addition to Inova’s comprehensive brain tumor treatment offerings,” said Adam Cohen, MD, Inova’s Co-Director of Neuro-Oncology. “Our top priority is supporting our patients through every step of their journey, which includes providing the most advanced and effective solutions available. GammaTile’s innovative technology further advances our mission to deliver the best possible outcomes for our patients battling brain tumors.”

Inova Neurosciences is a regional leader in the diagnosis, treatment and research of complex neurological conditions involving the brain, spine and nervous system. The multidisciplinary Inova Brain and Spine Tumor program is a collaboration between Inova Neurosciences and Inova Schar Cancer Institute and includes experts with advanced training in neurosurgical, neurological and radiation treatment of tumors. With more than twenty-five specialized programs, Inova has the largest and most expansive neuroscience focused  programs and services in Northern Virginia.

“We are honored to be working with the brain tumor specialists at Inova to deploy GammaTile Therapy for the purpose of improving the lives of patients with brain tumors,” said Matt Likens, president and CEO of GT MedTech. “Patients deserve access to new treatments that can extend their lifespan while improving quality of life. We are excited to expand the availability of GammaTile Therapy to other leading brain tumor treatment centers across the U.S.” 

# # #

About Inova

We are Inova, Northern Virginia and the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area’s leading nonprofit healthcare provider. With expertise and compassion, we partner with our patients to help them stay healthy. We treat illness, heal injury and look at a patient’s whole health to help them flourish.​ Through our expansive network of hospitals, primary and specialty care practices, emergency and urgent care centers and outpatient services, Inova cares for more than one million patients annually, delivering the best clinical care and a seamless experience. Consistently ranked and recognized as a national healthcare leader in safety, quality and patient experience, Inova’s world-class care is made possible by the strength and breadth of our network, our 22,000 team members, our technology and our innovation. Inova is home to Northern Virginia’s only Level 1 Trauma Center and Level 4 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and provides high-quality healthcare to every person in every community we are privileged to serve – regardless of ability to pay – every day of their life. More information about Inova can be found at www.inova.org.

About GT Medical Technologies, Inc.

Driven to overcome the limitations of current treatments for brain tumors and raise the standard of care, a team of brain tumor specialists joined forces and formed GT Medical Technologies with a purpose of improving the lives of patients with brain tumors. GammaTile Therapy received FDA 510(k) regulatory clearance for the treatment of all types of recurrent brain tumors in July 2018. A second 510(k) regulatory clearance for the treatment of newly diagnosed malignant tumors was granted in January 2020.  GammaTile is covered by Medicare and most private insurance. Extensive clinical expertise informed the design of GammaTile Therapy, and deep medical device experience guides the company. The company is headquartered in Tempe, Arizona. For more information, visit gtmedtech.com.