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Cancer patients living in Victoria's Mornington Peninsula will soon be able to access specialised treatment closer to home.
Icon Cancer Centre has announced it will be providing radiation oncology services at The Bays Hospital's new Cancer Care Centre, which is under construction.
In a first for the Mornington Peninsula Shire, the centre will be equipped with a state-of-the-art Varian TrueBeam linear accelerator (linac), providing stereotactic radiation therapy, tattoo-less radiation therapy for breast cancer patients, along with world-leading HyperArc technology for patients with secondary brain tumours.
A dedicated radiation therapy planning CT scanner will also be available onsite, meaning patients can have their planning sessions and treatment all in one location.
Paul Fenton, CEO of Icon Cancer Centre Australia and New Zealand, said the new service would benefit the local community.
"We're proud to partner with The Bays to bring world-class cancer care to the Mornington Peninsula, ensuring people have access to life-saving treatments closer to home," Mr Fenton said.
"Icon will offer the latest technology available, to better target and treat cancer in the most effective way.
"Our treatment options will also be considerably more convenient for patients by minimising the burden of time and travel for their cancer treatment.
"This is something that local cancer patients and their loved ones deserve."
The cutting-edge radiation therapy techniques promise to deliver faster and more accurate treatments for patients.
By 2032, it is estimated there will be close to 30,000 patient admissions on the Mornington Peninsula for cancer or a haematological diagnosis, and up to 15,000 of these will be admitted to a private hospital.
The Bays Hospital's CEO, Jade Phelan, said the centre would help reduce burdens associated with a cancer diagnosis.
"Many patients going through chemotherapy are quite unwell, and with patients that also require radiation treatment it's extremely beneficial to provide onsite, integrated cancer care," Ms Phelan said.
"We can offer something that's special through this partnership with Icon, with a great multidisciplinary team, world-class facilities and strong collaboration.
"This service will make a significant difference for cancer patients and their loved ones on the Mornington Peninsula."
The service will be led by experienced and established local radiation oncologists Dr David Blakey and Dr Maree Sexton, and is expected to be open to patients at the end of 2024.
Read more: Bringing cancer care closer to home
Read more: Icon Group joint venture offers more cancer treatment options
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