New Halcyon radiation machine at Gosford is changing cancer patient’s lives
When Meg Middleton was diagnosed with breast cancer she feared the worst. But thanks to a new hi-tech radiation machine at Gosford she has a new lease on life.
Central Coast
Don't miss out on the headlines from Central Coast. Followed categories will be added to My News.
There was no government screening in central Queensland so when Meg Middleton moved to the Central Coast and saw a sign at Erina, she thought “I should probably get checked”.
With no history of cancer in the family the 67-year-old was shocked when a mammogram detected an abnormality.
“I’d only been on the coast for two weeks so I didn’t even have a GP,” Ms Middleton, of Green Point, said.
After having to travel to Sydney for surgery to remove a tumour and two lymph nodes, Ms Middleton was referred to Icon Cancer Centre Gosford where she underwent treatment with a new radiation machine being dubbed a “game changer”.
The Varian Halcyon system is the first of its kind on the Central Coast and can deliver high dose radiation with “sub-millimetre” accuracy.
Icon Radiation Oncologist Dr John Boyages, a world leader in cancer treatment, said in the past treatment saturated whole areas with high levels of radiation blasted through healthy tissue, bones and organs.
Dr Boyages said the new Halcyon machine allowed them to target cancerous cells with pinpoint accuracy, which for Ms Middleton was a godsend because part of her cancer was so close to her heart it was inoperable.
Lying on the machine Ms Middleton would hold her breath, which naturally pushes the heart back towards the spine while the Halcyon machine’s accuracy did the rest.
“I didn’t know what to expect with the (breathing) technique at first, but it’s definitely a source of comfort to protect my heart from the radiation,” she said.
“Since you have to hold your breath for around 30 seconds, I’m very thankful that the treatment takes less than 15 minutes as for me it was only five or six breath holds each session.
“It’s wonderful that we didn’t have to make the effort to go to Sydney every day for my treatment, it would be phenomenally tiring, not to mention the additional expense, time and family concerns.”
Dr Boyages said Icon Cancer Centre Gosford would be holding an “ask the professor” information evening in March for anyone who has recently been diagnosed with cancer or their families to answer any questions and allay any fear people had about their cancer journey.