SINGLE session radiotherapy treatments could be a reality of the future according to a new world-first Australian study.
According to the study by researchers at Australia's Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation’s (ANSTO) Synchrotron, a newly developed form of therapy could deliver doses up to 20 times higher than the current standard.
Microbeam Radiation Therapy (MRT) is delivered in wafer-thin parallel beams of radiation, whereas conventional radiation therapy targets an entire area and can damage healthy cells.
Led by the Royal Women’s Hospital, RMIT University and the University of Melbourne, the research was undertaken using animals with the Synchrotron’s imaging and medical beamline and could pave the way for the first human trial.
Synchrotron scientist Daniel Hausermann said the research could dramatically improve treatment options for cancer patients and could reduce side effects.
“We all know someone who has been through radiotherapy to treat cancer and we know how hard that can be, both physiologically and also emotionally as the treatments stretch out over time,” Dr Hausermann said.
“This research could lead to dramatically improved outcomes for cancer patients.”
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