New technology will aid cancer treatment

A major technology upgrade is helping to deliver shorter and more targeted treatment for people with cancer on the Central Coast.

Supported by a $6M grant from the Australian Government’s Radiation Oncology Health Program, two new recently installed linear accelerators at Gosford Hospital’s Central Coast Cancer Centre are enabling faster radiation delivery, improved imaging capabilities and more advanced patient positioning.

Improved imaging and patient positioning enables clinicians to target tumours more precisely, minimising surrounding healthy tissues being exposed to radiation and reducing side effects for patients.

Faster radiation delivery reduces the duration of each treatment session and increases the overall efficiency of the therapy process.

The new linear accelerators are able to support the capture of 4D imaging and for certain tumour sites, these machines can actively monitor the patient’s respiratory motion.

This capability is particularly important for tumours in areas affected by breathing, such as the lungs or abdomen, as it allows the radiation to be synchronised with the patient’s breathing cycle.

Minister for the Central Coast and Member for Wyong David Harris said people could now access the latest radiotherapy equipment to ensure they got the essential treatment they needed close to home.

“The cancer services team plays a vital role in caring for our Central Coast community and the improved features of these new and upgraded linear accelerators will help them to enhance patient experiences,” he said.

Member for Gosford Liesl Tesch said reducing the amount of time people with cancer needed to spend receiving treatment was vital in supporting their overall wellbeing during such a challenging time.

Federal Member for Robertson Dr Gordon Reid said the new linear accelerators would be crucial in supporting clinicians to improve patient care, particularly for more complex tumours.