PALO ALTO, Calif., Feb. 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Varian (NYSE:
VAR) has started the installation of the cyclotron and gantry for
its ProBeam® 360° single-room proton therapy
system at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health's Ann B.
Barshinger Cancer Institute. The cyclotron and gantry are core
pieces of equipment of the ProBeam® 360° system.
The Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute, which is part of Penn
Medicine Lancaster General Health, has
become the first treatment center in the world to have a
ProBeam® 360° system from Varian. The center is expected
to treat its first patients in 2022.
"Varian is proud of our longstanding collaboration with Penn
Medicine, which goes back decades and encompasses joint innovation,
clinical research, training and education, and bringing new
technologies to cancer patients," said Kolleen Kennedy, Chief Growth Officer and
President of Proton Therapy Solutions at Varian. "We're especially
pleased to be taking this next step with them, delivering the
latest innovations in proton therapy technology for the cancer
patients of South Central
Pennsylvania."
The cyclotron is a particle accelerator that accelerates protons
to extremely fast speeds; roughly 100,000 miles per second or
roughly two thirds the speed of light, to create a beam that can
precisely reach tumors wherever they are in the body. The finished
ProBeam® 360° system will incorporate the fully
rotational gantry that rotates around the patient to target tumors
from virtually any angle, robotic patient positioning tools,
integrated iterative cone-beam CT imaging and pencil-beam scanning
for delivery of high-definition intensity-modulated proton therapy
(IMPT).
Proton therapy makes it possible to treat certain types of
cancer more precisely and with potentially fewer side effects than
is possible with conventional radiation therapy. With proton
therapy, the risk of damage to healthy tissues and potential side
effects is reduced because a proton beam deposits dose within the
tumor site rather than passing all the way through the patient.
Proton therapy can be used for many of the most common types of
cancer.
In addition to the ProBeam® 360° system, Varian will
also provide its ARIA® information management system and
Eclipse™ treatment planning—software that can be used to enable a
cloud-based "hub and spoke" operations model for managing key
functions centrally to avoid costly duplication of resources across
the larger University of Pennsylvania
Health System. The Eclipse software will also incorporate
RapidPlan™ PT— the first clinical application of machine learning
in proton treatment planning. RapidPlan PT is a knowledge-based
treatment planning software that enables clinicians to leverage
knowledge and data from previous cases in order to develop
high-quality, personalized plans for patients.
"This is yet another key milestone in a multi-year journey that
will marry the extensive research and clinical protocols we've
developed over the past 11 years at Penn Medicine's Roberts Proton
Therapy Center with the considerable expertise at Lancaster
General," said James Metz, MD, Chair
of Radiation Oncology, Perelman School of Medicine.
About Varian
At Varian, we envision a world without
fear of cancer. For more than 70 years, we have developed, built
and delivered innovative cancer care technologies and solutions for
our clinical partners around the globe to help them treat millions
of patients each year. With an Intelligent Cancer Care approach, we
are harnessing advanced technologies like artificial intelligence,
machine learning and data analytics to enhance cancer treatment and
expand access to care. Our 10,000 employees across 70 locations
keep the patient and our clinical partners at the center of our
thinking as we power new victories in cancer care. Because, for
cancer patients everywhere, their fight is our fight. For more
information, visit http://www.varian.com and follow
@VarianMedSys on Twitter.
Investor Relations Contact
Anshul Maheshwari
Vice President, Investor Relations
+1 (650) 424-5631
investors@varian.com
Press Contact
Aimee
Corso
Health + Commerce
+1 (310) 780-2661
aimee@healthandcommerce.com
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SOURCE Varian