Gold Coast at forefront of cutting edge cancer treatment with Varian HyperArc technology

FOUR weeks ago, this singly mother went to the doctor because she had a ‘little cough’. A day later she learned she cancer. Now in an Australian first she’s the first recipient of cutting edge technology.

FOUR weeks ago Gold Coast single mum Philippa Douglas went to the doctor because she had a “little cough”.

A day later learned she had melanoma, with tumours in her liver, lungs, lymph nodes and brain.

Since then, the Gold Coast Private Hospital patient has become the first Australian to receive a treatment called Varian HyperArc technology.

Phillipa has become the first in Australia to be part of the Varian HyperArc technology. Photo by Richard Gosling

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Rather than targeting the whole brain, the automated technology targets specific tumours with radiation.

The device is for patients with multiple brain tumours and usually takes three ten minute sessions.

“To be honest a few years ago (the brain tumours) were a death sentence,” Ms Douglas said.

“But treatment has really come along a lot in the past couple of years and this machine is the icing on the cake.”

Philippa Douglas with her doctor, Dr Jim Jackson. Photo by Richard Gosling

Unlike other invasive treatments, Ms Douglas said she was able to go shopping immediately after the therapy.

“I feel really good, I haven’t had a bad day yet, I don’t feel sick, there’s new treatments now and they’re very good, very positive, and there are people who survive this who go into remission,” she said.

“It only targets the tumour itself without targeting my whole brain. They don’t have to drill my head open or cut my skull.

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“It’s absolutely painless, it takes about ten minutes and targets my tumour without any of the tissue around it.”

Of her shock diagnosis Ms Douglas said “you’ve got to keep your sense of humour”.

“My whole life turned upside down, had to stop work, I was in hospital for three weeks, everything went upside down in the blink of an eye.”

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Ann Maguire, of Icon Group, the company that offers the technology in Australia, said the HyperArc puts the Gold Coast forefront of cancer care.

“With more than 3,600 new cancer diagnoses each year on the Gold Coast alone, providing the latest technology is vital to give people the best possible treatment outcomes and ensure they receive this care as close to home as possible,” Ms Maguire said.

The machine can deliver around 9,000 treatments every year.

The treatment is offset by a Medicare rebate and costs vary depending on the complexity of the treatment.