On this 7th of November, as we observe National Cancer Awareness Day, it’s an opportune moment to reflect on the state of cancer care and the remarkable advancements that are shaping the landscape of cancer treatment.

The field of cancer care has seen remarkable progress over the years, with various treatment modalities playing a crucial role in improving patient outcomes. Let’s take a look at the current cancer care landscape in broad terms. Of the cancer patients who are cured, 49 per cent are treated with surgery, about 40 per cent with radiotherapy combined with other modalities and about 11 per by chemotherapy alone[1]. Over the years, technology has advanced massively. For example, radiotherapy is so precisely targeted such that it causes minimal damage to the healthy tissue surrounding the cancer cells. Elekta’s MR-Linac technology is at the forefront of the application of that technology that can vastly improve outcomes for patients.

Recently introduced in India, Elekta Unity, a testament to continuous advancements in therapy, combines a high-field MRI system with an advanced linear accelerator (linac) for real-time imaging.  This integration enables precise tumour targeting and tailored treatments, which can spare healthy tissue and improve clinical outcomes. It also reduces repositioning needs and minimizes discomfort for patients.

The introduction of the Unity system gives hospitals and oncologists access to the latest state-of-the-art technology, and by extension, access to precision treatment for patients in our country.

The cost of treatment for patients depends on various factors, direct and indirect, of which the cost of equipment is just one, and an indirect one at that. Here is what we can say, based upon our experience globally: increased access and better outcomes lead to greater demand to advanced technology from patients. As with many things, greater demand and increased supply leads to lower overall costs and thus greater affordability to a larger swathe of people with cancer who need the therapy.

You also have weigh affordability against what the technology can do. One of Elekta’s primary objectives is to increase patient access to our advanced radiation therapy technology. We want to reduce the number of radiation therapy cycles, shorten hospital stays, enable fewer or no side-effects and improve clinical outcomes. On the policy side, insurance and government financial aid programs can augment affordability.

Greater use of the technology can expand access significantly over time, and hopefully reach areas of our large country where it is needed but not currently accessible. At Elekta, we look forward to being part of the journey towards the fulfilment of that vision – of access for all.

We’ve most recently introduced the Elekta Harmony and Unity systems to India. We propose to bring two more new technologies into the country in the near future.

Elekta Esprit, our next-generation Gamma Knife, is a targeted, computer-guided radiosurgery solution for brain tumours, and lesions in the brain. Despite its name, stereotactic radiosurgery with Gamma Knife is not surgery. There isn’t even the slightest incision. It is just highly focused beams of radiation and treats conditions in the brain that cannot be addressed by clinical surgery or are deep in the brain.

Elekta ONE is a comprehensive software portfolio designed for oncology departments and clinics. This software integrates radiation therapy planning, treatment management, and delivery, streamlining the entire process.

It can help achieve three goals. Firstly, it can help plan a range of treatments, a sort of treatment portfolio if you like. Secondly, it acts as a medical physics assistant that aids quality assurance in treatment and how the different resources are used. That also enables greater efficiency. Third, for the patient, it assures safety and enables regulatory compliance, which is important in all countries.

Elekta’s strategy rests on three pillars:

The first is to drive and expand access to our technology, geographically and to patients who need it the most. We are focused on introducing precision radiation therapy systems across several states, and by creating partnerships with hospitals, healthcare institutions, government entities, and other stakeholders, to foster increased adoption. We believe that embracing technological advancements will be pivotal and attractive in Tier 2 and 3 markets.

Advanced technologies require specialised skills, like medical physicists for example. So upskilling is the second pillar, to create a cadre if you like, of medical physicists and precision radiologists who will be instrumental in operating and skilfully using the equipment – efficiently and effectively. This means new employment opportunities and we will be looking at collaborating with partners, educational institutions and other interested stakeholders. We have recently partnered with Healthcare Global Enterprises Ltd (HCG) and Anna University to set up holistic training programs for qualified radiotherapy professionals in India. Such training and skilling programmes will be designed to improve and standardize clinical treatment protocols and bridge the gap between academia and the healthcare industry.

The third pillar is digitalisation, which is also a central objective of the government. Elekta has developed its MOSAIQ Plaza oncology informatics solution, which is a suite of digital solutions and patient database management system. It enables hospital radiology departments and clinical oncologists, to name two teams, to track and monitor, in real time essentially, the progress of patients through their treatment journey. The system provides insights drawn from a multi-disciplinary approach – in other words, across the various clinical and other care teams – that contributes significantly to positive treatment outcomes. That is, MOSAIQ Plaza offers the digital assistance that healthcare professionals need, even in real-time.

On National Cancer Awareness Day, Elekta reaffirms its commitment to collaborating with healthcare institutions across India. Our focus extends to central and state government hospitals in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, in addition to metropolitan areas, to ensure that advanced cancer care reaches every corner of our nation. Together, we can make the vision of accessible and effective cancer care a reality for all.