Medisch Spectrum Twente first in Europe to treat patients with Nucletron’s Flexitron and 3D Oncentra Brachy

October 27 2010  |  Press Release 

Dutch hospital successfully treated 30 cancer patients with the latest brachytherapy equipment 

Enschede, The Netherlands (26 October 2010) - Nucletron, a leading provider of state of the art radiotherapy solutions for cancer treatment and Medisch Spectrum Twente (MST) announce the successful treatment of 30 patients with the advanced solution for brachytherapy, combining Oncentra Brachy for treatment planning and Flexitron for treatment delivery. Patients treated at MST now benefit from the latest innovations in brachytherapy, providing personalised and extremely precise treatments.

With over 25 years of experience in treating cancer with brachytherapy, MST last year decided to make the move from 2D to 3D planning, thus investing in the next-generation solution for brachytherapy. As of March this year the new brachytherapy solution, including Flexitron and 3D Oncentra Brachy, is in clinical use, with over 30 patients successfully treated until today. The main criteria for the switch were the ability of 3D-planning with CT and MR-images to accurately identify the target volume and the organs at risk, and improve treatment planning for each individual patient. Other factors included the strong wish to use the interstitial technique for treating gynaecological cancers, as well as future connectivity with External Beam treatment planning. Within just a few months the PLATO treatment planning system and the microSelectron afterloader, successfully used in treating cancer for many years, were replaced by its state-of-the-art successors.

“MST is very satisfied with the brachytherapy solution that Nucletron provided, including all the support we received during the transition,”

said Dhr. Ticheloven, Head of the Radiotherapy department at the Medisch Spectrum Twente.

“We chose not to maintain shadow planning with the legacy planning, but rather make a clear-cut transition. This meant that in an extremely short time period we had to make the switch to 3D brachytherapy. This would not have been possible without the support we received from Nucletron. I would certainly recommend Nucletron’s brachytherapy solution with Oncentra Brachy and the Flexitron afterloader, because it is state-of-the-art, user friendly and ensures precise cancer treatments.”

With cancer patients being diagnosed earlier, the MST foresees a growing number of cancer patients that can potentially be treated with brachytherapy. The MST currently specialises in brachytherapy for gynaecological, oesophageal and bladder cancers, and is looking at using brachytherapy for treating other types of cancer in the future, such as prostate cancer.

“We are proud to see Medisch Spectrum Twente successfully treat many cancer patients with our advanced solution for brachytherapy,” says Michel Rudolphie, VP of Sales Europe at Nucletron. “It is a clear demonstration that our efforts to closely cooperate with clinicians in treating and beating cancer are improving patient care.”

About Medisch Spectrum Twente
Medisch Spectrum Twente is one of the largest non-academic hospitals of The Netherlands, covering a region with approximately 264,000 inhabitants. It employs around 4000 employees, including 250 medical specialists. Alongside basic facilities, Medisch Spectrum Twente is a centre of excellence for almost all medical fields. The RVE Radiotherapy of Medisch Spectrum Twente stands for excellent quality in regional care for radiotherapy, providing all current treatments using state-of-the-art equipment. We aim to differentiate ourselves with a high quality of care and a clear patient-focus, with well-trained employees.

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/.