GE Medical Systems and Varian Medical Systems to Showcase Medical Technology Before Members of Congress | Varian

{ "pageType": "news-article", "title": "GE Medical Systems and Varian Medical Systems to Showcase Medical Technology Before Members of Congress", "articleDate": "15 April 2002", "introText": "", "category": "Oncology" }

GE Medical Systems and Varian Medical Systems to Showcase Medical Technology Before Members of Congress

WASHINGTON, D.C. — April 15, 2002 — GE Medical Systems, aunit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), and Varian Medical Systems (NYSE:
VAR) will showcase See and Treat™ Cancer Care technology before members
of Congress attending the National Dialogue on Cancer’s "Capitol Hill
Showcase of Medical Technologies for Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer." GE
Medical Systems is the manufacturer of the first commercially available
combination Positron Emission Tomography (PET) /Computed Tomography (CT)
scanner. Varian Medical Systems is the world's leading manufacturer of
radiotherapy systems.

This educational briefing, to be held Tuesday, April 16, will showcase Varian
Medical Systems SmartBeam™ IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy)
system. When combined with GE’s diagnostic imaging tools, like the
revolutionary Discovery LS PET-CT scanner, physicians can locate the exact
volume and boundary of a tumor, and then aim a laser-accurate radiation beam
to target the cancer. This targeted technique preserves the health of
non-cancerous tissue surrounding the tumor, resulting in fewer complications
and a greater likelihood of curing the disease before it can spread.

"In addition to being traumatic for patients and their families, the cost of
failing to cure cancer in its early stages can be staggering – about
three times the initial cost of treatment," said Richard M. Levy, President
and CEO of Varian Medical Systems. "Fortunately, revolutionary advances in
diagnostic imaging and radiation therapy have dramatically improved our
chances of catching and curing cancer before it's too late. We have a
tremendous opportunity to help thousands of patients while achieving
significant savings in healthcare costs. Our challenge now is to make these
promising technologies available to patients across the nation as rapidly as
possible."

The cost of eradicating initial tumors is about one third the cost of treating
cancer that has spread, according to a study by Dr. Carlos Perez, Director of
the Radiation Oncology Center at the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology and
Radiation Oncologist in Chief at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, MO.

Varian Medical Systems’ Dynamic Targeting™ technology also will be
featured at the event. This technology helps clinicians track changes in tumor
position or size so that the proper radiation doses are used and targeted
correctly during the course of treatment.

The partnership between Varian Medical Systems and GE benefits patients by
providing clinicians with more accurate, timely information required to design
the best possible treatment plan," said Joseph M. Hogan, President and CEO of
GE Medical Systems. "The demand for our integrated offerings has exceeded our
expectations because of the unique clinical value that they provide, and we
are pleased that our technologies are positively impacting patients’
lives every day.

In addition to the Discovery LS, GE Medical Systems will present information
on the industry leading Senographe™ 2000D Full-Field Digital Mammography
System. More than one million women in over 20 countries have received
mammograms on this award-winning system. The GE Senographe 2000D has
revolutionized patient care by reducing patient exam time in half, allowing
medical institutions to examine more patients who need mammograms.