by

John Pinching

Brachytherapy is a precise type of radiotherapy that can be used to treat several cancers

Elekta has announced that around two million brachytherapy treatments have been delivered by healthcare providers using the company’s Flexitron therapy.

Brachytherapy is a very precise type of radiotherapy that can be used to treat a wide variety of cancers. Also known as interventional radiotherapy, it sends a high level of radiation directly onto the tumour, while also minimising exposure to healthy tissue.

The treatment has been administered at a high dose rate (HDR) at several locations. One of the most notable sites – Amsterdam University Medical Centers (Amsterdam UMC) – recently contributed to the significant milestone by acquiring the 1,000th Flexitron treatment to be manufactured at Elekta’s production facility in Veenendaal.

Indeed, Amsterdam UMC has been providing brachytherapy treatments for more than four decades, using earlier generation brachy afterloaders and Flexitron. The facility treats around 160 patients every year, including gynaecological cases, patients with cervical and uterine malignancies, as well as prostate and bladder cancers.

John Lapré, Elekta’s president, brachy and neuro solutions, reflected: “Elekta has been at the forefront of advancing brachytherapy, providing clinicians with cutting-edge technology to improve patient outcomes.”

He added: “The Flexitron afterloader has been a game-changer in the world of brachytherapy, providing clinicians with unparalleled flexibility and precision. We are proud to have played a role in the treatment of so many patients worldwide and look forward to continuing to advance the field of radiation medicine with our innovative solutions."

Danique Barten, medical physicist at the radiotherapy department at Amsterdam UMC, concluded: “We have been delighted with our Flexitron afterloader and are excited to be part of this milestone as we receive the second system. This is one of the first steps towards our new ‘Brachy suite’.”

At present, Flexitron is used in almost two-thirds of all brachytherapy centres worldwide, across 100 countries.