A new piece of technology is expected to bring enhanced cancer treatment with potentially fewer sessions for radiation therapy patients at the Cancer Treatment Center at Regional West.

All proceeds from the Regional West 2021 Gala will go toward a new Varian Edge™ linear accelerator to provide the technology to enter a new generation of radiation therapy treatments.

Regional West has had a linear accelerator, but advancements in technology have made newer machines even more effective, according to Mark Hartman, MD, a radiation oncologist with Regional West Physicians Clinic-Radiation Oncology.

“It would be faster as well as provide enhanced precision and accuracy,” Dr. Hartman said. “It’s going to be more convenient for patients because, in general, they will have fewer radiation treatments and spend less time in the cancer center and more time living life.”

In a radiation therapy department, a linear accelerator is a primary piece of equipment that produces radiation to be used for targeted therapy, primarily for cancer. Dr. Hartman said the machine can be used for treatment for a broad range of cancers, including cancers of the head and neck, lung, breast, esophagus, stomach, rectum, uterus, prostate, bladder, liver, bones, skin, and tumors in the brain and spine.

Keeping up with technology is critical in all types of healthcare, said Michael Yung, MD, with Radiology Imaging of Nebraska.