Leading Bulgarian Hospital Chooses Prostate HDR Brachytherapy

October 15 2010  |  Press Release 

First cancer patients treated with Nucletron’s prostate HDR brachytherapy solution in The Specialized Hospital for Active Treatment in Oncology in Sofia 

Sofia, Bulgaria (15 October 2010) Nucletron, a leading provider of state of the art radiotherapy solutions for cancer treatment announced that the Specialized Hospital for Active Treatment in Oncology -SBALO-EAD- in Sofia, Bulgaria has treated its first patients using Nucletron’s state-of-the art solution for prostate HDR brachytherapy. The leading Bulgarian hospital is investing in precision cancer treatment and has decided to focus efforts on brachytherapy.

Nucletron’s prostate HDR brachytherapy solution for the SBALO-EAD hospital contains an Integrated Brachytherapy Unit (IBU), including a microSelectron Digital afterloader and the Oncentra Prostate treatment planning system. The solution has been commissioned under a scientific program for complete renovation and establishment of new prostate cancer treatment technologies in SBALO-EAD and the University Hospital Lozenets in Sofia, combining the knowledge and experience of the urologists, radiation oncologists and medical physicists in both hospitals. Bulgarian cancer patients will benefit from this professional sharing and the modern brachytherapy solution, which is faster and more accurate than other treatment options.

The Bulgarian Minister of Health, Dr. Stefan Konstantinov, the Mayor of Sofia, Mrs. Yordanka Fandakova, and leaders of Bulgarian cancer patient associations and the Bulgarian Medical Association acquainted themselves with prostate HDR brachytherapy during a special Bulgarian event that dedicated to the worldwide Breast Cancer Awareness Month and early cancer diagnoses. Both the Minister of Health and the Mayor of Sofia witnessed the first patients being treated under supervision of Dr. Bengt Johansson of the Örebrö University Hospital in Sweden.



“We are very happy with the new solution for prostate HDR brachytherapy, provided by Nucletron” said Dr. Z. Valerianova, Executive Director of SBALO-EAD. “It provides more accurate treatment for our cancer patients, and due to its shorter treatment time advantage we can now provide precise cancer treatment to more Bulgarian patients.”

“When I saw the treatment technique that we have invested in, I was convinced that the Bulgarian Ministry of Health had made a very wise investment, said Dr. Stefan Konstantinov, Minister of Health in Bulgaria.

Compared to other forms of radiotherapy like external beam (EBRT), brachytherapy can deliver the required dose of radiation over a significantly shortened treatment time. In treating prostate cancer, for example, normal treatment times that can take up to seven weeks with EBRT take only one or two days with brachytherapy. Additionally, the precise delivery of radiation reduces the risk of unnecessary damage to surrounding healthy tissue and organs which can help reduce side effects. Again, in prostate cancer the risk of side effects like incontinence and erectile dysfunction is lower than with other treatment options. These factors minimise disruption to patients and allow a faster return to everyday life.

“We are very happy to work together with the SBALO-EAD hospital in order to provide brachytherapy treatments to many cancer patients in Bulgaria, added Arjen van ‘t Hooft, VP Emerging Markets at Nucletron. “We strongly believe that cancer treatment with brachytherapy is beneficial for patients, but also for the clinics providing the treatment.”


About Nucletron
Nucletron provides state of the art radiotherapy solutions for cancer treatment that meet the evolving needs of patients, their caregivers and healthcare professionals around the world.  Nucletron has unmatched global leadership in brachytherapy, a very precise, highly effective and well-tolerated treatment option for healthcare providers, tailored to the needs of individual patients. We work with clinical teams to constantly improve and develop an innovative portfolio of integrated products, software and services that assures excellent patient outcomes.  Headquartered in Veenendaal, The Netherlands, Nucletron employs more than 500 employees, with offices in 15 countries, and products available in more than 100 countries around the world.  Please visit http://www.nucletron.com/ to learn more about our healthcare solutions.

About Brachytherapy
Brachytherapy is a high-precision radiation therapy, in which the radiation source used to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors is placed in or close to the tumor itself. Brachytherapy offers a precise, highly effective and well tolerated treatment option tailored to the needs of individual patients. The precision brachytherapy approach allows a physician to concentrate a high dose of radiation in a small area, minimizing damage to nearby, healthy body tissue and organs, over a shorter treatment period. Find more about brachytherapy on http://www.aboutbrachytherapy.com/.