Private partnership establishes Australia’s first radiotherapy centre of excellence

Australia’s first stereotactic centre of excellence has been established in Sydney, marking a significant advancement in the delivery of precision radiotherapy services nationally.

The new centre, delivered through a partnership between Icon Cancer Centre and Macquarie University Health, represents the only integrated service in Australia to bring together the nation’s most comprehensive precision radiotherapy offering within a single health precinct.

The centre’s staged rollout will introduce three leading-edge radiotherapy technologies, with the first an advanced linear accelerator (linac) now operational. The introduction of Elekta’s Leksell Gamma Knife and 5D Clinics’ CyberKnife services is planned later this year, further expanding the centre’s specialised treatment capabilities.

A/Professor Matthew Foote, Icon Group Deputy Chief Medical Officer and Radiation Oncologist, was instrumental in establishing the first Gamma Knife centre nationally which was at Herston in Brisbane. Recognised as the gold standard for stereotactic radiosurgery for intracranial conditions, the Gamma Knife enables clinicians to treat complex tumours located near critical brain structures with sub-millimetre precision while protecting surrounding healthy tissue.

CyberKnife will add another dimension to Macquarie University Hospital’s radiotherapy offering. It is the only fully robotic radiation delivery system which moves around the patient, delivering high-energy X-ray beams with exceptional accuracy through a sequence of software-generated treatment angles. The technology is particularly valuable in treating cancers in the chest and abdomen, including lung, liver and pancreatic cancers, where respiratory motion can present additional treatment challenges.

Together, these advanced technologies will provide patients with access to a comprehensive suite of highly specialised radiotherapy options within a single location. The convergence of these modalities will improve treatment accuracy, minimise side effects, and reduce the physical, logistical and emotional burden associated with travelling between services for patients and their families.

Icon Group CEO, Mark Middleton OAM, said “This is more than a technology milestone. It demonstrates how integrated care and strong partnerships can bring the most advanced treatments closer to home for patients in New South Wales, and across the nation.”

Approximately 50% of all people diagnosed with cancer will require radiation oncology services as part of their treatment journey. The establishment of the new centre of excellence will increase Icon Cancer Centre’s presence in New South Wales to seven locations, complementing existing cancer care services in Wahroonga, Concord, Revesby, Norwest, Gosford and Maitland.

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