Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare acquires revolutionary radiation therapy to treat soft tissue cancers

The Memphis healthcare system is one of only 10 cancer centers in the U.S. to use this technology

MEMPHIS, Tenn., March 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare has acquired a groundbreaking radiation therapy treatment system, in use at only ten cancer treatments centers in the U.S. Called Elekta Unity, the technology monitors a patient's movement while simultaneously delivering targeted radiation therapy to cancerous tumors and tumor beds.

"The single bed equipment pairs magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with radiation therapy, letting clinicians start and stop cancer treatment in real time, adjusting as the patient moves and breathes and as organs shift inside the body," said Kathleen Forbes, MD, executive vice president of MLH's Academic Group, which includes Methodist University Hospital and Le Bonheur Children's Hospital. "Because of the exact precision, healthy tissues surrounding the tumor avoid unnecessary radiation exposure."

The Methodist Cancer Institute at Methodist University Hospital in the Memphis medical district is only cancer center in the Mid-South to offer cancer treatment on the Elekta Unity system for soft tissue cancers like brain, breast, gynecologic, head and neck, prostate and gastrointestinal cancers including pancreatic and liver cancers.

"Our ultimate goal is to provide every patient with innovative, effective, high quality and safe care so they can return to live their best lives," said Forbes. "Using the Elekta Unity on hard-to-treat cancers, we can minimize treatment-related side effects and reduce a patient's overall treatment schedule."

For more information on the Elekta Unity and other services available at the Methodist Cancer Institute, please visit MethodistHealth.org/cancer or call 901-478-2400.

About Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare

Based in Memphis, Tennessee, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare has been caring for patients and families regardless of their ability to pay for more than 100 years. Guided by roots in the United Methodist Church and founded in 1918 to help meet the growing need for quality healthcare in the greater Memphis area, MLH has grown from one hospital into a comprehensive healthcare system with 13,000 Associates supporting six hospitals, including nationally ranked Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, ambulatory surgery centers, outpatient facilities, hospice residence and physician and specialty practices serving communities across the Mid-South. From transplants and advanced heart procedures to expert neurology services and compassionate cancer care, MLH offers clinical expertise with a focus on improving every life we touch.

SOURCE Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare