Drastically Reducing The Radiation Treatment Cycle

An exciting new treatment is being used in cancer centres around the country thanks to a Cancer Research Trust New Zealand-funded clinical trial.

- Dr Scott Babington

The trial compared long-course radiotherapy for lung cancers to a new method, and showed that the new therapy, given in only three treatments over two weeks, is better than current radiotherapy, which is given over six and half weeks.

Reducing the length of the cancer radiation treatment cycle allows more patients to be treated over a shorter period of time, resulting in a treatment that is less costly and time-consuming, while making a real difference to the patients and their whnau.