The first of its kind in WA, the new system can deliver highly precise doses of radiation to cancer cells, while minimizing damage to healthy tissue.
This week, GenesisCare and Ramsay Health Care celebrated the official opening of Hollywood Consulting Centre, a new comprehensive private cancer centre in Perth. At the heart of this $48 million new cancer centre, is WA’s most advanced radiation therapy system, the Elekta Versa HD™, featuring a Brainlab ExaTrac Dynamic system.
This new system, the only one in Western Australia, promises the delivery of ultra-precise radiation doses targeting cancer cells, while sparing most of the healthy tissue nearby. According to Dr Yvonne Zissiadis, a Radiation Oncologist at GenesisCare, “The ExacTrac Dynamic system is heralding a new era for stereotactic radiation therapy in WA,” Dr Zissiadis said in a press release.
“The technology combines revolutionary new thermal-surface camera technology with real-time X-ray tracking to deliver highly precise doses of radiation to tumours of the brain, breast, prostate, neck, lungs, liver and spine,” Dr Zissiadis said.
“The surface-camera technology provides thousands of reference points on a patient’s skin, allowing our radiation therapists to track movements in real-time with sub-millimetre accuracy and eliminating the need for permanent tattoos in many patients,” she added.
Cancer is a leading cause of death in Western Australia, representing three out of every 10 deaths. Every year, more than 13,300 people are diagnosed with some form of cancer. The condition also kills a significant number of Western Australians. In, 2017, for example, there were 4,147 deaths due to cancer in WA.
The most common cancers affecting men in WA are lung, prostate and bowel; whereas for women lung, breast and bowel are the most common.
The new cancer centre
The Hollywood Consulting Centre will provide cancer patients access to various services, including radiation therapy, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), nuclear medicine, real-time X-ray tracking, ultrasound, radiotherapy treatment and mammography, breast cancer research, and endoscopy services.
“The Hollywood Consulting Centre brings together leading experts to focus on the early diagnosis, treatment and aftercare of a wide range of cancers,” said Peter Mott, Hollywood Chief Executive Officer.
“Patients will receive integrated cancer care with medical and radiation oncologists, haematologists, surgeons, radiologists, nurses and clinical trial researchers all on the one campus,” he added.
If you have Medicare, up to 90% of your cancer radiotherapy treatment costs may be covered, even without private insurance. However, some out-of-pocket expenses may apply, which should be discussed with your treating doctor.