Hyderabad-based Yashoda Group of Hospitals has recently commissioned the Rapid Arc-Radiation technology unit at the Yashoda Cancer Hospital, which is expected to open shortly.

The RapidArc technology is expected to improve dose conformity and shorten treatment times with more accurate and focused radiation at no additional cost. It is a form of volumetric arc therapy that operates up to eight times faster than conventional or helical IMRT. According to Varian Medical Systems' researchers, which has introduced the technology in the hospital, RapidArc therapy can conform to the treatment beam more closely to the tumour shape and is well suited for a variety of clinical sites, such as the prostate, head, neck, lungs, breast, ovarian and cervix cancers.

Addressing the media Dr G S Rao, managing director Yashoda Group of Hospitals said, "It is a tragedy that incidence of Cancer has been increasing day by day at 13 per cent. Every year more than 8 million people die of cancer, which is more than AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria put together. One out of every four cancer patients in the world is an Indian. In addition to the tragic loss of life, Cancer also can devastate families financially through the loss of income and the expense of treatment".

Announcing the commissioning Dr Luco Cozzi, professor of Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland stated that Rapid Arc is a major advancement in treatment delivery, which is time efficient and capable of delivering precisely highly conformal sculpted 3D dose distribution with excellent dosimeter accuracy in a Single Arc of 360 degrees rotation, using Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT). RapidArc technology, doses are much more precisely concentrated on tumours, allowing better protection for surrounding healthy tissues".