Seventh International Novalis Circle Conference Further Establishes Best Practices and Promotes Wider Access to Advanced Stereotactic Radiosurgery Treatments

The Seventh International Conference of the Novalis Circle brought together a selective group of two hundred international experts in neurosurgery, radiation oncology and medical physics to share the latest best practices and discuss clinical synergies of precision radiosurgery and surgery. An international faculty of 35 speakers covered clinical and technological advancements, focusing on stereotactic radiosurgery of secondary metastasis in the brain and spine, intra-cranial primary tumors, arteriovenous malformations and functional disorders.

A key focus of the meeting was placed on improving outcomes for patients with intra-cranial metastasis. “Due to wider adoption of stereotactic radiosurgery, intra-cranial disease is no longer the main limitation in cancer survival, and there is a clear shift in clinical management towards providing longer-term quality of life,” said Dr. Douglas Kondziolka, MD from NYU Langone Medical Center. Success of focal therapies is better quantified by employing response assessment techniques that unlock the understanding of tumor biology and personalize patient treatments. “All tumors are different and new imaging breakthroughs allow us to distinguish sooner than ever the ones that respond from those that don’t, enabling us to adjust therapy as needed”. As such practices begin to have a wider adoption, the expert community has also embraced a cohesive practice of collecting and reporting clinical outcomes under the auspice of a national stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) registry. Sanctioned by the American Academy of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) to establish the new benchmark in treatment quality parameters, the United States SRS Registry provides an effective alternative to lengthy and costly prospective randomized trials.

The main strength of the Novalis Circle community relies on integrating surgical expertise into radiation oncology practices. Multi-disciplinary care is the key to successful improvements for tumor patients as preservation surgery coupled with stereotactic radiosurgery is a more ideal method for disease treatment with uncompromised functional preservation. The role of technology in blending the two practices lays the foundation for new techniques such as adaptive hybrid surgery in patients with either intra-cranial benign disease or spinal malignancies.  

“Novalis Radiosurgery is celebrating 20 years of innovation this year,” said Stefan Vilsmeier, President and CEO, Brainlab. “Indication-specific treatments and multidisciplinary team approaches have become the major game changer in the last five years and have proven to increase quality of life and overall treatment success for patients. The Novalis Circle community  continues to be the key driver for growing the adoption and effectiveness of stereotactic radiosurgery practices.”
 
The Institute for Medical Education accredited the Seventh International Conference of the Novalis Circle offering continuing medical education (CME) credits for participants through a dynamic, active, participatory environment with opportunities to learn and apply new skills.

In addition to the annual international conferences, the Novalis Circle also hosts smaller educational symposia worldwide throughout the year to continue cross-disciplinary education.