GammaTile Radiation Therapy is new in Utah. The procedure is being done at Holy Cross Hospital Jordan Valley Cancer Center. This is the only hospital that has done GammaTile Therapy in Utah. GammaTile Therapy, an advanced brain tumor treatment, was developed in Phoenix, Arizona at Barrow Neurological Institute in 2014. 

Dr. Leland Rogers, radiation oncologist at Holy Cross Hospital Jordan Valley Cancer Center, has collaborated with neurosurgeon Dr. Joel McDonald on GammaTile Therapy. The GammaTile is a small square the size of a postage stamp, made of absorbable material; it has four radioactive seeds made of radioactive Cesium-131. The radioactive seeds have a short life and don’t cause physical problems to family members who reside with the patient. During the procedure, McDonald removes the tumor and Rogers implants the GammaTile. The implant procedure only adds a few more minutes to the surgery, and it prevents another surgery later on. In 10 days the radiation is gone. This therapy is FDA approved; it is not experimental.  

Cancer Center Manager at Jordan Valley Hospital Julie Steadman explains GammaTile Therapy while admitting it is a very hard thing to find out you have cancer. “We are here to help, give hope and we are good to go,” Steadman said. (Photo courtesy Drew Smith)

“This is a significant advancement in the treatment of brain tumors. This new procedure provides an effective, more targeted radiation treatment option and offers a promising dose of hope for our patients,” Rogers said.

The treatment is very accurate because the GammaTile is placed right at the edge of where the tumor was, and it is very convenient because it is done in the same procedure as the tumor removal. 

“An additional benefit of this therapy is that it allows the patient to focus on healing, and in some cases without needing frequent appointments for traditional, longer course radiation therapy,” Rogers said.

"The great thing about this procedure is that there is hope, there is an option and things that are being done to help so many people,” Cancer Center Manager at Jordan Valley Hospital Julie Steadman said.

McDonald told Vicky Pentz, his patient, about the GammaTile therapy. She was feeling hopeless because her breast cancer had metastasized.  After finding out about GammaTile therapy she didn’t hesitate to agree to give it a try. “Yep, that's what I’m doing. Sign me up. There is still hope - it’s a new thing,” Pentz said.

Vicky Pentz, a patient at Holy Cross Hospital Jordan Valley Hospital. She has received GammaTile Therapy for her tumors and is very happy about it. She highly recommends Jordan Valley Hospital. (Photo courtesy Drew Smith)

She had two tumors removed 10 days apart. The GammaTiles were placed on both surgeries. An MRI three months after surgery showed excellent results with no sign of cancer. Pentz is very happy with the results of her GammaTile surgeries. “I was treated very well, all of the departments of the hospital are supportive and great, they all say ‘Hi’ and you feel good.” Pentz said. 

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