HAAN, Germany, March 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Varian Medical Systems has received 510k clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market an updated brachytherapy applicator set designed specifically for intraluminal treatment of cancer of the esophagus. The Esophagus Bougie Set(TM) can now be used with Varian's full range of VariSource(R) and GammaMed(R) HDR (high dose rate) afterloaders. "This updated applicator set, now also available for our VariSource users, enables clinicians to deliver more effective and precise brachytherapy treatments to the esophagus," says Claudia Andres-Zindler, Varian's applicator product manager. The applicator set has been designed to ensure an optimal distance from the source to the tissue being treated. The set is equipped with Bougies (slender, cylindrical instruments inserted into the esophagus) in four different diameters, facilitating the centered source position in the esophagus and optimizing the distance to the tissue to be treated. Also included in the set are a bite-protector and fixation, a fixation plate with band for each Bougie diameter, and a guiding wire which allows for use of the Seldinger technique to insert the Bougie into position. Editorial contact: Neil Madle, Varian Medical Systems, +44 7786 526068, About Varian Medical Systems Varian Medical Systems, Inc., of Palo Alto, California, is the world's leading manufacturer of medical devices and software for treating cancer and other medical conditions with radiotherapy, radiosurgery, proton therapy, and brachytherapy. The company supplies informatics software for managing comprehensive cancer clinics, radiotherapy centers and medical oncology practices. Varian is a premier supplier of tubes and digital detectors for X- ray imaging in medical, scientific, and industrial applications and also supplies X-ray imaging products for cargo screening and industrial inspection. Varian Medical Systems employs approximately 3,900 people who are located at manufacturing sites in North America and Europe and in its 56 sales and support offices around the world. For more information, visit http://www.varian.com/. Forward Looking Statements Statements in this press release regarding future business, events, plans, objectives, expectations, estimates, and other similar matters, including, but not limited to, statements using the terms "can" and "expect," constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements contained in this press release are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated, including, but not limited to, the risks described in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and other reports filed from time to time by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements represent the Company's judgment as of the date of this press release. The Company assumes no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements because of new information, future events, or otherwise. DATASOURCE: Varian Medical Systems CONTACT: Neil Madle for Varian Medical Systems, +44-7786-526068, Web site: http://www.varian.com/

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