MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center is the only hospital in Orange County offering GammaTile Therapy, an advanced FDA-cleared radiation treatment for patients with operable brain tumors. This innovative therapy significantly improves the treatment of recurrent meningiomas and brain metastases. GammaTile Therapy allows physicians to deliver targeted radiation immediately after brain tumor surgery, providing a precise dose to eliminate remaining cancer cells. This eliminates the delay in treatment and the need for additional procedures, simplifying the process for patients.
"It’s always been Saddleback Medical Center’s mission to deliver the latest, most effective cancer treatment to the Orange County community, in the comforts of a community hospital feel. We always want to do what is best for our patients, and this new therapy, which combines surgery and radiation in one session, is targeted so that it spares healthy tissue and just makes life easier on our patients. That is exactly what we stand for at Saddleback Medical Center.”
- Linda Chan, M.D., medical director, radiation oncology and Foundation Endowed Chair, MemorialCare Cancer Institute, Saddleback Medical Center.
GammaTile Therapy is a surgically targeted radiation therapy (STaRT) providing immediate, localized treatment of brain tumors during surgery. By embedding radiation sources within a collagen tile, GammaTile delivers a precise radiation dose directly to the tumor site, minimizing radiation exposure to healthy brain tissue. In addition, traditionally, patients would need to come back after surgery for maintenance radiation, which would delay care and be an added inconvenience; now this procedure combines the two.
Unlike other forms of radiation therapy that disrupt tumor cell replication from outside the body, GammaTile works internally, enhancing the effectiveness of treatment and significantly reducing the common side effects associated with traditional radiation therapy, including hair loss.
“I was absolutely delighted to partner with Dr. Chan, to bring GammaTile treatment to our current operable brain tumor capabilities. This partnership offers patients the combined benefits of surgical and radiation treatment simultaneously, perfectly aligning with our patient-first approach.”
- Chiedozie Nwagwu, M.D., neurosurgeon, Saddleback Medical Center.
MemorialCare Cancer Institute is at the forefront of cancer care, offering the latest in technology for earlier diagnosis and better treatment outcomes. The MemorialCare Cancer Institute is home to a multidisciplinary team of highly skilled specialists. These specialists collaborate to design targeted, customized treatment plans for each patient, ensuring they have access to specialists well beyond one aspect of their cancer.