Major Milestone for UK's First High Energy Proton Therapy Center with Varian Cyclotron Installation

MANCHESTER, U.K., June 22, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- A significant milestone for the UK's first National Health Service high energy proton therapy center occurred today when Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) delivered the cyclotron to the new facility. The cyclotron is a particle accelerator which accelerates protons to two thirds the speed of light for clinical use and its installation is a key milestone for every new proton therapy center.

The cyclotron is a core piece of equipment of Varian's ProBeam® system, which is equipping the four-room Christie Proton Therapy Center. Executives from the new center gathered with dignitaries including Sir Bruce Keogh, national medical director for NHS England, to witness the cyclotron delivery. After a journey from Varian's proton therapy production facility in Troisdorf, near Cologne in Germany, the cyclotron was craned into position at the new purpose-built facility that is fully integrated with the main Christie Hospital.

"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 proton treatments with potentially better outcomes and reduced chance of long-term side effects," said Roger Spencer, chief executive of the Christie. "The arrival of the cyclotron is a huge milestone for the proton beam therapy project and brings us closer to our goal of being able to offer this treatment to patients next year."       

The Christie Proton Therapy Center is one of two major NHS proton therapy facilities being constructed in the UK, with the other located at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Treatments at the Christie Proton Therapy center are expected to commence in 2018.

Proton therapy makes it possible to treat certain types of cancer more precisely and with potentially fewer side effects than is possible with conventional radiation therapy. With proton therapy, the risk of damage to healthy tissues and potential side effects is reduced because the beam stops and deposits dose within the tumor site rather than passing all the way through the patient.

"We are very proud to be partnering with the Christie Proton Therapy Center on the development of this wonderful new facility," said Dr. Moataz Karmalawy, general manager of Varian's Particle Therapy division.

Varian's ProBeam system is the first to offer fully-integrated intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT) to enable more efficient adaptive proton therapy. The Varian's pencil beam scanning technology gives clinicians the ability to deliver the dose precisely in the tumor to minimize dose to healthy tissue. When combined with cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), the ProBeam system enables advanced adaptive therapy during the course of treatment helping to make it a more precise form of proton therapy.

About Varian Medical Systems
Varian Medical Systems focuses energy on saving lives and is the world's leading manufacturer of medical devices and software for treating and managing cancer. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, Varian employs approximately 6,400 people around the world. For more information, visit http://www.varian.com and follow @VarianMedSys on Twitter.

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Varian Medical Systems
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