SALT LAKE CITY, April 15, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BSD Medical Corp. (Nasdaq:BSDM) today reported on clinical data presented by Rudiger Wessalowski, M.D, Associate Professor at the Clinic of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Heinrich-Heine University, Dusseldorf, Germany, on the use of hyperthermia combined with chemotherapy and tumor resection to treat malignant germ cell tumors in children and adolescents. Dr. Wessalowski presented an update of his clinical study at the annual Society for Thermal Medicine (STM) meeting that was held in Tucson, Arizona on April 4 to April 7, 2009.
Dr. Wessalowski reported on the use of the BSD-2000 to treat 101 pediatric patients who ranged from age 7 months to 17 years old with a median age of five years. Of these 101 patients, 46 patients had malignant germ cell tumors. Of the 46 patients with germ cell tumors, there were 23 patients who had a complete response (disappearance of all local disease) and 8 patients with a partial response (greater than 50% reduction). The median follow-up was 5 years. The best responders were patients who received the combined treatment as first time therapy.
Dr. Wessalowski noted that standard therapies are often not effective for certain children's cancers, and relapse therapy is often not effective or available. The study was designed to not only improve survival but also avoid mutilating surgery. Dr. Wessalowski reported that the results of the current study found that combined hyperthermia and platinum-based chemotherapy can be used in children and adolescents. This regimen was found to result in objective tumor response (complete plus partial response) in approximately 67% of study patients who had germ cell tumors. According to Dr. Wessalowski, preoperative platinum-based chemotherapy combined with regional hyperthermia facilitates complete tumor resection in some patients.
Dr. Wessalowski also presented magnetic resonance images showing the temperature changes in children using the BSD-2000/3D/MR to deliver the hyperthermia and simultaneously measure the temperature changes. The Heinrich-Heine University, Dusseldorf, Germany had recently added a new BSD-2000/3D/MR system to further enhance the treatment capacity of its hyperthermia therapy program. The new system integrates a BSD-2000/3D Deep Regional Hyperthermia System with a Siemens 1.5 Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system. To accommodate the treatment of children, the system uses a set of reduced-size, special pediatric applicators.
About Heinrich-Heine University, Dusseldorf, Germany
The University Pediatric Oncology Clinic at Dusseldorf has taken the lead on several national and international studies designed to optimize pediatric oncology therapy. For more than 10 years the Dusseldorf Pediatric Oncology Department has pioneered the application of hyperthermia therapy for treating children's cancers using a BSD-2000 for the treatment of soft tissue sarcomas and germ cell tumors.
About BSD Medical Corporation
BSD Medical is a leading developer of systems used to provide cancer therapies requiring precision-focused heat through RF/microwave technologies. The company's systems have been designed to kill cancer through heat alone, and as companion therapies to improve the combined results when used along with radiation treatments. The BSD-2000 is limited to investigational use in the United States. For further information visit BSD Medical's website at www.BSDMedical.com.
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