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A new multi-million-dollar service will bring end-to-end treatment on one site for cancer patients in Brisbane's inner northern suburbs.
Leading integrated cancer care provider Icon Group has announced it will provide radiation therapy at St Vincent's Private Hospital Northside.
The Icon Cancer Centre, due to launch in late 2024, will mean patients no longer have to travel away from the campus to receive the treatment.
"Many patients going through chemotherapy are quite unwell, and with patients that also require radiation treatment it's extremely beneficial to provide on-site, integrated cancer care," said Icon medical oncologist Dr Rick Abraham, who also works at the hospital.
"We can now offer something that's special through this partnership with a great multidisciplinary team, great facilities and strong collaboration.
"I'm confident we can build a service that's going to make a difference for Brisbane's inner northside."
Around half of all cancer patients need radiation therapy – a highly targeted, safe, and effective treatment used on a wide range of cancers including breast, prostate, skin, lung, and brain.
It is often used in combination with other treatments, like chemotherapy, and is given in daily intervals over several weeks with every course designed for each patient's condition.
Icon operates over 35 cancer centres across Australia, and has also expanded internationally to Britain, Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam and New Zealand.
Group CEO Mark Middleton said the new partnership would provide patients with the latest in radiation treatment including Varian's HyperArc for advanced brain cancer and IDENTIFY technology for surface-guided, tattoo-free therapy.
"The centre will be equipped with a Varian TrueBeam linear accelerator, with the capacity to deliver 18,000 radiation therapy treatments annually, including the latest techniques for a wide range of cancers for Brisbane's inner north," Mr Middleton said.
"We're proud to be able to bring world-class cancer care to more communities, ensuring people have access to life-saving treatment closer to home."
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