NAS MEDICAL INITIATES CLEARPATH CLINICAL
EXPERIENCE AT NORTHPOINT CANCER CENTER
Dr. Peter Beitsch Implants the ClearPath-HDR Device in Dallas, Texas
Chatsworth, CA – September 10, 2008 — North American Scientific, Inc. (Nasdaq: NASM), operating as NAS Medical, today announced it has initiated clinical experience with the next generation ClearPath-HDR device at Northpoint Cancer Center in Dallas, Texas. The ClearPath-HDR device was implanted by Dr. Peter Beitsch of the Dallas Surgical Group and treatment was successfully completed in August.
“The new improved ClearPath-HDR is simple to insert and optimizes patient comfort while maintaining the advantages of tailored treatment planning with multiple catheters” said Dr. Beitsch.
The ClearPath-HDR device is a temporary implant utilized for delivery of Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation (APBI) treatment. The ClearPath-HDR combines the ease-of-use benefits of balloon APBI products with the customized dose planning benefits of the multi-catheter local radiation procedure into one device. This customized dose planning can make APBI a possibility for more patients who were previously not considered good candidates for treatment with balloon APBI products due to breast size and/or tumor location. Women who receive APBI treatments benefit from a shortened 5 day course of radiation treatment, as opposed to the normal 6 weeks of external beam radiation.
The unique design of the ClearPath-HDR device also offers significant patient comfort advantages by eliminating the protruding tubes and stiff catheters characteristic of other APBI devices on the market, and replacing them with a small external button. This feature may allow women important comfort advantages over other devices, such as more restful sleep and the ability to shower during the course of treatment. With its ease-of-use, functionality and few treatment limiting requirements the Company believes ClearPath-HDR has the potential to encourage the use of APBI, a less invasive, more focused treatment option for the breast cancer patient.
About North American Scientific:
North American Scientific is a leader in radiation therapy in the fight against cancer. Its innovative products provide physicians with tools for the treatment of various types of cancers. They include Prospera® brachytherapy seeds and SurTRAK™ needles and strands used primarily in the treatment of prostate cancer. In addition, the Company has been gaining clinical experience with its first generation ClearPath™ multi-channel catheter breast brachytherapy devices, and have initiated clinical experience with the second generation devices in 2008. They are the only such devices approved for both high dose and continuous release, or low dose, radiation treatments. The devices are designed to provide flexible, precise dose conformance and an innovative delivery system that is intended to offer the more advanced form of brachytherapy for the treatment of breast cancer. Please visit www.nasmedical.com for more information.
John Rush
President & CEO
North American Scientific
john.rush@nasmedical.com
818-718-3208 (direct)
925-989-2020 (cell)
“The new improved ClearPath-HDR is simple to insert and optimizes patient comfort while maintaining the advantages of tailored treatment planning with multiple catheters” said Dr. Beitsch.
The ClearPath-HDR device is a temporary implant utilized for delivery of Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation (APBI) treatment. The ClearPath-HDR combines the ease-of-use benefits of balloon APBI products with the customized dose planning benefits of the multi-catheter local radiation procedure into one device. This customized dose planning can make APBI a possibility for more patients who were previously not considered good candidates for treatment with balloon APBI products due to breast size and/or tumor location. Women who receive APBI treatments benefit from a shortened 5 day course of radiation treatment, as opposed to the normal 6 weeks of external beam radiation.
The unique design of the ClearPath-HDR device also offers significant patient comfort advantages by eliminating the protruding tubes and stiff catheters characteristic of other APBI devices on the market, and replacing them with a small external button. This feature may allow women important comfort advantages over other devices, such as more restful sleep and the ability to shower during the course of treatment. With its ease-of-use, functionality and few treatment limiting requirements the Company believes ClearPath-HDR has the potential to encourage the use of APBI, a less invasive, more focused treatment option for the breast cancer patient.
About North American Scientific:
North American Scientific is a leader in radiation therapy in the fight against cancer. Its innovative products provide physicians with tools for the treatment of various types of cancers. They include Prospera® brachytherapy seeds and SurTRAK™ needles and strands used primarily in the treatment of prostate cancer. In addition, the Company has been gaining clinical experience with its first generation ClearPath™ multi-channel catheter breast brachytherapy devices, and have initiated clinical experience with the second generation devices in 2008. They are the only such devices approved for both high dose and continuous release, or low dose, radiation treatments. The devices are designed to provide flexible, precise dose conformance and an innovative delivery system that is intended to offer the more advanced form of brachytherapy for the treatment of breast cancer. Please visit www.nasmedical.com for more information.
John Rush
President & CEO
North American Scientific
john.rush@nasmedical.com
818-718-3208 (direct)
925-989-2020 (cell)
