THIS MAY BE VERY IMPORTANT NEWS :
Stereotactic Radiosurgery As Effective in Eliminating Parkinson's Disease
Tremors As Other Treatments, But Less Invasive

CHICAGO, Nov. 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS)
offers a less invasive way to eliminate tremors caused by Parkinson's disease
and essential tremor than deep brain stimulation (DBS) and radiofrequency (RF)
treatments, and is as effective, according to a long-term study presented
November 2, 2009, at the 51st Annual Meeting of the American Society for
Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).

"The study shows that radiosurgery is an effective and safe method of getting
rid of tremors caused by Parkinson's disease and essential tremor, with
outcomes that favorably compare to both DBS and RF in tremor relief and risk
of complications at seven years after treatment," Rufus Mark, M.D., an author
of the study and a radiation oncologist at the Joe Arrington Cancer Center and
Texas Tech University, both in Lubbock, Texas said. "In view of these
long-term results, this non-invasive procedure should be considered a primary
treatment option for tremors that are hard to treat."

Parkinson's disease is a slowly progressive neurologic disease that causes
tremors, in addition to other symptoms. Essential tremor is the most common of
all movement disorders and causes uncontrollable shaking of the hands, head,
and sometimes other parts of the body.

Stereotactic radiation is a specialized type of external beam radiation
therapy that pinpoints high doses of radiation directly on a confined area in
a shorter amount of time than traditional radiation treatments. Stereotactic
radiosurgery, or SRS, refers to a single or several stereotactic radiation
treatments of the brain or spine. SRS is delivered by a team involving a
radiation oncologist and a neurosurgeon. This radiation treatment is often
called by the brand names of the manufacturers, including Axesse, CyberKnife,
Gamma Knife, Novalis, Primatom, Synergy, X-Knife, TomoTherapy and Trilogy.

Between 1991 and 2007, 183 patients underwent stereotactic radiosurgery
thalamotomy, for hard-to-treat tremors caused by Parkinson's disease and
essential tremors. A thalamotomy is a procedure that destroys tissue at a
particular spot--the Ventralis Inter-Medius nucleus--on the thalamus of the
brain which influences movement.

With a median follow-up of seven years, 84 percent of patients had significant
or complete resolution of tremors. In patients with Parkinson's disease, 83
percent had near or complete tremor resolution, while those with essential
tremor had 87 percent of this degree of tremor resolution.

For more information on stereotactic radiation therapy, visit
www.rtanswers.org.

given this news, why would people choose DBS over this going forward?

Cal

the STN is deep within the brain, and you are irradiating a large portion of the brain just getting to the STN. ALso many top surgeons eschew radio surgery because of the permanent damage that can be done if one misses by a millimeter or two.
Radio surgery is a good alternative for Essential Tremor, but I would still go with a DBS. Its safer, (its adjustible, repairable, and can be removed.)

Charlie