Hadassah performs world's first alpha radiation treatment for recurrent brain tumors

Jerusalem's Hadassah Medical Center has achieved a groundbreaking medical milestone, performing the world's first treatment for recurrent aggressive brain tumors utilizing alpha radiation. The innovative Alpha DaRT technology, developed in collaboration with the Sharett Institute of Oncology and ALPHA Tau, targets tumors with highly bioefficient alpha particles, concentrating radiation precisely where needed while sparing nearby brain tissue.

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One of the great advantages of the technology is that it integrates naturally with the neurosurgical navigation systems we use every day. The same system that allows us to perform brain biopsies with millimeter accuracy also allows us to insert the alpha sources into the center of the tumor with similar precision.

The first patient to receive this novel treatment was a 77-year-old man diagnosed with recurrent glioblastoma, who had already undergone surgery, radiation, and drug therapies. The procedure involved injecting radiation sources into the brain tumor from two separate pathways simultaneously, ensuring optimal tumor coverage and high accuracy. Beyond its localized effect, preclinical studies suggest the treatment may also stimulate an immune response against the tumor in other parts of the brain.

Professor Yigal Shoshan, who led the surgery, highlighted the technology's seamless integration with existing neurosurgical navigation systems. "The same system that allows us to perform brain biopsies with millimeter accuracy also allows us to insert the alpha sources into the center of the tumor with similar precision," he stated. This precision allows for a minimally invasive treatment without extensive brain surgery.

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Adapting the technology to existing navigation systems has been a key part of the development we have carried out in recent years. After taking a sample from the tumor to confirm active disease, we used the same system to precisely insert the alpha sources into the tumor. We thus performed local, precise, minimally invasive treatment, without the need for extensive brain surgery.

Preliminary results from this pioneering treatment have captured the attention of the neuro-oncology community, offering a beacon of hope for a disease that has historically presented limited therapeutic options. The successful implementation at Hadassah represents the culmination of years of dedicated research and development, adapting the Alpha DaRT technology specifically for brain tumor treatment.

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The procedure that was carried out at Hadassah is not only the first treatment in Israel, but the culmination of years of research. As part of our collaboration with Alpha Tau, we have adapted the technology for brain tumor treatment. This included laboratory studies, preclinical studies in a large-animal model, the development of dedicated applicators, their implementation in the neurosurgical na