More Cancer Patients in Africa to Benefit from Advanced Radiation Therapy

Thursday 25 November 2021, STOCKHOLM

The order also includes linear accelerators and brachytherapy equipment for precision radiation therapy at International Children's Cancer Research Centre in Ghana

Elekta (EKTA-B.ST) announced today that its latest African order for Elekta Unity MR-Linac comes less than six months after the company introduced its ACCESS 2025 strategy, which includes giving more than 300 million people access to radiation therapy with the addition of 800 to 1,000 additional Elekta linacs in underserved markets.

In addition to the Unity system, the Eugene Gasana Jr. Foundation signed an agreement on behalf of the International Children's Cancer Research Centre (ICCRC) to also acquire two Elekta Versa HD™ linear accelerators as well as Elekta Studio* including the ImagingRing, a brand-new mobile imaging device for brachytherapy treatments, and a Flexitron® afterloader.

As a member of the Elekta MR-Linac Consortium, ICCRC will actively investigate the potential benefits of magnetic resonance-guided radiation therapy (MRgRT) in pediatric oncology. In addition, ICCRC will join hospitals worldwide in providing high-precision radiation therapy to treat cancer in children.

"We are very excited that Ghanaians will have access to the same cancer care as the best hospitals in the U.S., Europe or Asia," said Habib Nehme, Executive Vice President Turkey, India, Middle East, Africa, APAC & Japan. "And while a focus on children's' health is especially appreciated; I know that having the tools to treat advanced-stage cervical cancer is welcome as rates for the indication are particularly high in Africa. We are also proud to collaborate with partners of the Eugene Gasana Jr. Foundation in providing comprehensive training for the hospital staff."

Of the more than 24,000 new cancer cases recorded in Ghana each year, approximately 1,200 are estimated to be children under 15. Cervical and prostate cancers are the most common among women and men, respectively, and are regularly treated with brachytherapy. Versa HD is designed to treat a spectrum of tumors throughout the body using both conventional and highly sophisticated techniques. And Elekta Unity uses dynamic real-time adaptation to tailor treatment based on changes in the tumor's shape, size, and position and surrounding anatomy.

Construction of the new hospital will begin in the first quarter of the 2022 calendar year, with deliveries at the end of 2023. The equipment is scheduled to be clinical in 2024.

Source: Elekta AB ( original url )

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