The robotic radiosurgery system reduces cancer treatment from 30 courses to five courses.
Manila-based Asian hospitals and medical centers are introducing a radiation therapy technology that can track cancerous tumors in real time by adapting to natural body movements such as breathing and digestion.
The network knife technology to be launched in July will be the first of its kind in the Philippines. Beaver TamesisAsia Hospital President and CEO tells Asian health care. “The system is robotic and has been assisted by artificial intelligence,” he said in a Zoom interview.
He added that if the tumor is in the lungs and moves as the patient breathes or colon and metastasizes, the technology can regulate radiation delivery to minimize its impact on healthy tissue.
According to data from the local statistics bureau, cancer is the third largest cause of death in the country in 2024.
Tatzes said traditional radiation technology lacks accuracy. For example, tumors near the eyes may be at risk. “Only one millimeter difference [from the tumour] It is crucial to the well-being of patients. ”
Traditional techniques such as traditional techniques regulated radiation therapy require multiple sessions within a few weeks, even if each session lasts only about 10 minutes. The Internet Knife can reduce treatment time from 30 courses to five.
“This is especially beneficial for patients traveling from different provinces, because they no longer need to be hospitalized for prolonged periods,” Tatzes said.
Patient capacity for the new technology is also expected to increase, he said, noting that their old machines can only handle two patients a day. “Even if it was a struggle.”
Tamesis said their investment in technology was a major investment, simulating the cost of “buying a small hospital.”
However, state health insurance providers and various health maintenance organizations in the Philippines will cover patient costs. “You are paying for treatment rather than machines.”
Tatzis said Philippine health insurance companies can cover up to 50% of the cost of treatment.
The machine is being installed in a radiation therapy bunker in the hospital, which has been upgraded with enhanced air conditioning and humidity control to ensure optimal conditions.
“We have also improved facilities for infusion therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and supportive therapy (such as blood transfusions)” said the CEO.
The hospital recently invested in an “all-in-one” system for tissue staining, which is used to diagnose diseases such as cancer.
“Our new devices can automate this process,” Tazis said. “We focus on precision medicine. We want radiation therapy, drug therapy, and everything to be consistent with the current personalized therapy campaign.”
