Last week the Edinburgh Cancer Centre begun treating prostate cancer patients within the framework of the so-called Precision Study. Patients receive only three radiation doses, with the Raypilot System used as a complement to ensure accurate motion control during treatment, thereby minimising potential side effects. The aim is to demonstrate that three sessions work as well as five in terms of both cancer eradication and the degree of side effects.
The Pace-B study*, published in 2024, showed that SBRT** with five radiation sessions is just as effective in curing cancer as traditional treatment involving 20–40 sessions. The Precision Study aims to further streamline treatment while reducing side effects and improving patient convenience. The treatments in the study are carried out using the Raypilot System, which enables real-time monitoring of organ movement. This system allows for urethra-sparing techniques and tighter radiation margins—factors that both improve targeting accuracy and reduce the risk of side effects.
Prostate Cancer Treatment
Aiming for Improved Quality of Life
The study includes 100 patients across multiple clinics in Europe and the US and is led by Professor Duncan McLaren at the Edinburgh Cancer Centre in Scotland. His aim is to make prostate cancer treatment more comfortable for patients and improving their quality of life post-treatment.
“The goal of the Precision Study is to ensure that treatment with three radiation doses does not lead to greater side effects than those observed in the Pace-B study. I am confident that we can demonstrate effective cancer treatment with less side effects,” says Professor McLaren.
A Collaborative Effort for Improved Healthcare
The study was initiated by researchers at various clinics using the Raypilot System.
“Our customers are interested in developing and improving healthcare, always with patient quality of life in focus. At the same time, healthcare providers across the Western world are striving to reduce treatment times and enhance both quality and efficiency. This study could contribute to such progress, benefiting all stakeholders—healthcare providers reduce costs while improving care, and patients gain a better quality of life,” says Thomas Lindström, MD at Micropos Medical AB, the company behind the Raypilot System.
The first conclusions from the Precision Study are expected within one to two years, followed by a further five years of patient follow-up before final results can be presented.
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