Cyclotron arrives at The Christie

Former patients Lucy Thomas and Emma Payton started the crane that moved the cyclotron into position.

The Christie in Manchester has installed its state-of-the-art Varian proton beam therapy cyclotron, marking a major milestone in a national NHS plan to provide high energy proton beam therapy in the UK from next year.

Together with the Department of Health, NHS England is funding the development of two world-class centres in Manchester and London for NHS patients to be treated in the UK.

The first patients are due to be treated from summer 2018, with University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust following in summer 2020.  When complete each centre will treat up to 750 patients every year.

The Christie chief executive Roger Spencer said: “To be able to offer the world’s most advanced form of radiotherapy through the NHS in the UK is a real step change for patients, ensuring they benefit from local access to this advanced form of treatment, with potentially better outcomes and less chance of long-term side effects.  The arrival of the cyclotron is a huge milestone for project and brings us closer to the goal of being able to offer the treatment to patients next year.”

See the full report on page 16 of the August 2017 issue of RAD Magazine.