April 6th 2010, London, UK. Cancer patients in Liverpool will be the first in the country to gain access to Novalis Tx™[1] radiosurgery for fast, personalized shaped-beam radiosurgery, making the city a leader in cancer treatment technology.
Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology, is the first to secure Novalis Tx radiosurgery, a targeted and non-invasive[2]alternative to cancer surgery that can reduce patient treatment times to less than 20 minutes.
The futuristic technology will be housed at Clatterbridge’s new satellite centre in Liverpool, one of the city’s leading radiotherapy facilities, giving Merseyside residents improved access to this new cancer treatment.
Dr. Brian Haylock, Clinical Director for Radiotherapy at Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology, commented, “I am delighted that Liverpool will be the first city in the UK to offer this new radiosurgery technology, a highly-anticipated addition to our excellent cancer treatment options. Novalis Tx radiosurgery demonstrates our particular commitment at Clatterbridge to offer our patients the latest cancer treatments available. Liverpool residents will now benefit from fast and personalized radiosurgery treatment, close to home”
Explaining how the technology works he said, “Novalis Tx radiosurgery uses image-guidance tools that allow us to shape treatment around tumours or other abnormalities to help ensure that the prescribed dose is delivered, whilst protecting healthy tissue. Patients lie on a robotic treatment couch that moves, tilts and pivots in six degrees, to compensate for motion during treatment.”
“One of the key benefits of Novalis Tx radiosurgery for most patients is that it’s non-invasive[3], which helps avoid lengthy recovery periods and many of the complications often associated with conventional invasive surgery.
“In fact, this technology will allow will enable many patients to be treated as outpatients.”
The versatility of Novalis Tx radiosurgery makes it possible for doctors at the Centre to provide the treatment based on each patient’s specific needs. Treatment is delivered quickly so that patients spend minimal time immobilized on the treatment table.
“Fast treatments are easier on the patient,” said Clatterbridge Senior Research Radiographer Angela Heaton. “With Novalis Tx radiosurgery, treatments that would have taken up to an hour or more using other techniques can be completed in just minutes, with equal accuracy.”
The new £17m purpose-built facility, which will be situated at University Hospital Aintree, is on schedule for completion in 2010 and will be clinically operational by February 2011.
ENDS
Further information:
Novalis Tx radiosurgery is the latest development in non-invasive³ cancer care technology from Varian Medical Systems, Inc., and Brainlab. Novalis Tx radiosurgery rotates around the patient to deliver treatment beams anywhere in the body from virtually any angle. A set of sophisticated image guidance and motion management tools guide patient set up and positioning, and monitor motion during treatment. A computer-controlled, high-definition multi-leaf collimator shapes the treatment beam around the tumor, which helps ensure that the maximum prescribed dose is delivered to the entire tumor. Novalis Tx radiosurgery can be used to deliver frameless radiosurgery treatments for brain tumors and other abnormalities, a more patient-friendly alternative to techniques that require immobilization with a head ring that attaches to the skull.
About Clatterbridge Centre
Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology is one of the largest specialist cancer centres in the UK, with nearly 7,000 new patients registered each year. Based in Wirral, Merseyside they serve a population of 2.3 million across Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales, the Isle of Man and South Lancashire. They deliver treatments to their patients through radiotherapy and chemotherapy services. They also have a sophisticated diagnostic imaging department and are one of only two sites to host the region’s PET:CT scanner (mobile unit). As one of the largest radiotherapy departments in the UK they deliver nearly 85,000 radiotherapy treatments a year. They also annually deliver 29,000 outpatient chemotherapy treatments and 2,000 admitted chemotherapy stays and host the regions Teenage and Young Adult Unit with the help of the Teenage Cancer Trust. Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology’s vision is to provide world class cancer care; to achieve this by putting people first, achieving excellence, being passionate about what they do, always improving their care and being committed to their future.
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 centres 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 5,100 people who are located at manufacturing sites in North America, China, and Europe and in its 79 sales and support offices around the world. For more information, visit http://www.varian.com/.
About Brainlab
A pioneer in the field of radiosurgery, Brainlab develops, manufactures and markets software-driven medical technology that enables procedures that are more precise, less invasive, and also less expensive than traditional treatments. Among the core products are image-guided systems that provide highly accurate real-time information used for navigation during surgical procedures. This utility has been further expanded to serve as a computer terminal for physicians to more effectively access and interpret diagnostic scans and other digital medical information for better informed decisions. Brainlab solutions allow expansion from a single system to operating suites to digitally integrated hospitals covering all subspecialties from neurosurgery, orthopedics, ENT, CMF to spine & trauma and oncology. With more than 4,700 systems installed in over 80 countries, Brainlab is a market leader in image-guided technology. The privately held Brainlab group, founded in 1989, is headquartered in Munich, Germany and today employs 950 people in 16 offices across Europe, Asia, Australia, North and South America. For more information, visit Brainlab at www.brainlab.com.
Press enquiries: Sallyanne Jones
Contact: sjones@pegasuspr.co.uk / 01903 821550
Issued by: Pegasus Public Relations
[1] Manufactured by Varian Medical Systems and Brainlab
[2] Some doctors may opt for a minimally invasive headframe for certain treatments.
[3] Some doctors may opt for a minimally invasive headframe for certain treatments.
