Data Presented at American Association of Neurological Surgeons Annual Meeting
DFINE, Inc., the developer of minimally invasive radiofrequency (RF) targeted therapies for the treatment of vertebral pathologies, released study results highlighting the clinical benefits of advanced Targeted-Radiofrequency Ablation™ (t-RFA) therapy for the management of patients experiencing painful spinal lesions. Eighty-five percent of patients with metastatic disease will develop spinal metastases – of these nearly 75 percent will involve the axial skeleton.
The poster, titled “Targeted Radiofrequency Ablation of Spinal Metastases: Initial Multicenter Experience,” senior authored by Nam D. Tran, M.D., Ph.D., Neuro-Oncology Surgeon at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Assistant Professor of Oncology and Neurosurgery at the University of South Florida College of Medicine, noted that the STAR™ Tumor Ablation System represents a safe and effective new technique for the treatment of painful malignant spinal metastases. Dr. Tran and his co-authors from Washington University in St. Louis and the University of California San Diego conducted a retrospective review of 85 patients treated with the STAR System, followed by cement augmentation, at three centers over the past 12 months. Spinal metastases involved a wide spectrum of tumor etiology and location extending from T2-S2. Pain relief, as measured by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), decreased from 7.4 pre-procedure to 2.8 at 1 month and 1.8 at 6 months. (p <0.001)
“We have found the STAR System to be an effective new tool in our efforts to mitigate the progression of neurological complications caused by spinal tumors,” Dr. Tran said. “It is a valuable addition to our neurosurgical armamentarium, one that provides significant and rapid pain relief in a minimally invasive procedure, and restores quality of life for these patients before they require more extensive surgery.”
“It is exciting to see how the STAR System has been integrated into the neurosurgical suite at Moffitt Cancer Center,” said Kevin Mosher, Chief Executive Officer of DFINE. “The adoption of the STAR System at Moffitt, a true multidisciplinary cancer center, is an exciting milestone for the company and supports our belief that targeted radiofrequency ablation can play a significant role in the treatment of patients with metastatic spinal tumors.”
About DFINE, Inc.
DFINE is dedicated to relieving pain and improving the quality of life for patients suffering from vertebral pathologies through innovative, minimally invasive, targeted therapies. The company’s devices are built on an extensible radiofrequency (RF) platform that currently covers two procedural applications: 1. The treatment of vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) with the StabiliT® Vertebral Augmentation System, and 2. The palliative treatment of metastatic vertebral body lesions with the STAR™ Tumor Ablation System. Both systems represent generational advancements in the minimally invasive treatment of vertebral pathologies. DFINE is based in San Jose, Calif. and is a privately held company. Stay connected with DFINE via Facebook or Twitter (@DFINEinc) or call 1.866.963.3463.
