Real Cutting Edge in Cancer Care is Centred on Radiation Therapy

Swedish company Elekta brings together science, technology and clinical intelligence to revolutionise cancer care.

The University Medical Center (UMC) Utrecht, Netherlands treated the world’s first patient with Elekta Unity MR-Linac.

For almost five decades, Elekta has been a leader in precision radiation medicine. Radiation therapy is a critical cancer treatment, used on its own or in combination with surgery, chemotherapy and immunotherapy. More than 50 percent of patients are judged suitable to receive radiotherapy. The methods used today are based on decades of global research, development and innovation – largely driven by Elekta.

More than 140,000 patients around the world are treated with the company’s solutions every day. But 95 percent of all radiotherapy equipment is available to only 20 percent of the world’s population. “We work hard to increase the global access to this critical and lifesaving treatment,” says CEO Richard Hausmann, “by innovating and deploying novel solutions that make precision radiation medicine accessible and sustainable.”

“Radiation therapy is a critical cancer treatment, used on its own or in combination with surgery, chemotherapy and immunotherapy. More than 50 percent of patients are judged suitable to receive radiotherapy. The methods used today are based on decades of global research, development and innovation – largely driven by Elekta.”

Most recently, Elekta announced its support of the International Atomic Energy Agency partnership initiative to increase access to diagnostics and treatment of women’s cancers in low- and middle-income countries. That support will be provided in the form of a brachytherapy training module through Elekta BrachyAcademy, a peer-to-peer educational platform.

Elekta remains committed to improving global access to cutting-edge, precision-made radiation solutions. It prides itself in creating and developing new products that are “right sized for developing healthcare economies”.

Elekta’s novel radiation delivery technologies and software solutions include:

Elekta Unity integrates high-field MR imaging with an advanced linear accelerator. This enables unprecedented precision and accuracy and allows adaptive radiation therapy to be used to treat more patients, and a broader array of cancer indications. For the first time the doctors can see live MR images before, during and after treatment, dramatically improving the precision of the treatment.

Leksell Gamma Knife® stereotactic radiosurgery system has positioned Elekta at the forefront of precision radiation medicine for the treatment of a wide range of intracranial diseases. With its advanced imaging and motion management technologies, the latest generation radiosurgery platform – Leksell Gamma Knife® Icon™ – delivers treatment to healthy tissue at a reduced dose. Each year, more than 80,000 patients with intracranial tumours and brain disorders benefit from Gamma Knife radiosurgery.

Elekta’s line of high-definition digital accelerators includes the latest generation Versa HD™ – a system designed to treat a spectrum of tumours throughout the body using conventional and emerging techniques – as well as the clinically-proven Elekta Synergy® and Elekta Infinity™ linacs.

MOSAIQ® Plaza is a comprehensive suite of digital tools that works seamlessly with Elekta radiotherapy systems to provide the foundation for intelligence-driven, value-based healthcare. MOSAIQ Plaza’s smart data centre connects healthcare professionals to patients through every step of their journey to ensure efficient, standardised daily practice.

Elekta Brachytherapy Solutions involve an indispensable and evolving radiation therapy technique that employs sophisticated tools to irradiate tumours. It can be used to treat a range of gynecological, prostate and breast cancers. Elekta brachytherapy solutions include remote afterloaders, applicators, imaging and planning systems.