Radiotherapy unit opens
By a staff reporter
The new GenesisCare Centre for Radiotherapy at Bupa Cromwell Hospital in London is being billed as ‘Europe’s most advanced radiotherapy centre’.
It offers access to radiotherapy technologies such as MRIdian, MR Linac, Gamma Knife Icon and Varian Edge and will specialise in complex and difficult-to-treat tumours including cancers of the abdomen, central nervous system, head, neck and lung, as well as offering the latest techniques for breast and prostate cancers.
Its opening comes as a recent investigation by DATA-CAN, the Health Care Research Hub for Cancer, found that Covid-19 could potentially cause an extra 35,000 cancer deaths due to delays in diagnosis and treatments during the pandemic.
James McArthur
GenesisCare UK general manager James McArthur said: ‘We are pleased to extend our partnership with BUPA Cromwell to provide a seamless care pathway, adopting the latest techniques essential for achieving the right care outcomes.
‘This is of significant importance right now to ensure cancer patients receive the best care possible and don’t delay essential treatment.’
Hospital director Philip Luce said: ‘As cancer rates continue to rise, it is encouraging that we’re finding new ways to give people access to better and quicker treatment.
‘As a centre of excellence for cancer care, we’re proud to be opening this new radiotherapy facility and to provide our UK and international patients with cutting-edge treatment, resulting in better outcomes.’
The centre’s advanced equipment includes the Varian Edge Linac, designed to deliver stereotactic brain and spinal surgery, stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) – which is used for small tumours elsewhere in the body – and volumetric modulated arc therapy, a highly versatile treatment for a wide range of cancer types. It has the highest dose rate in the industry, resulting in less time in treatment.
It is also home to the latest Gamma Knife Icon. GenesisCare’s neuro-oncology lead specialist Dr Anup Vinayan said: ‘The Gamma Knife Icon is one of the most sophisticated systems for stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), delivering the highest possible accuracy.
‘SRS targets tumours at many different angles around the body at the same time with the beams meeting at a single point.
‘This delivers a high dose of radiation to the tumour while ensuring the healthy tissue around it receives a much lower dose and reduces the risk of side-effects. It is often called “brain-sparing” surgery because of its ability to protect healthy brain tissue and preserve quality of life for people needing treatment for brain tumours.’