Varian Medical Systems Starts Equipment Installation at New Proton Therapy Center in Netherlands

PALO ALTO, Calif., May 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) today delivered the cyclotron for the new multi-room HollandPTC in Delft, which will be equipped with the Varian ProBeam^® proton therapy system. The cyclotron, a particle accelerator which accelerates protons to two thirds of the speed of light for clinical use, is a core piece of equipment of the ProBeam^® system. The delivery marks the start of equipment installation, a key milestone for each new proton therapy center.

HollandPTC is part of Medical Delta, the medical-technological collaboration of the universities and university medical centers of Leiden, Delft and Rotterdam. Due for completion in 2017, the center will feature two proton therapy treatment rooms with full rotational gantries, one for fixed-beam eye treatments, as well as a dedicated research room.

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 is designed to stop and deposit dose within the tumor site rather than passing all the way through the patient. Proton therapy can be used for many of the most common types of cancer.

"Delivery of the cyclotron is the next major milestone in bringing this advanced cancer-fighting technology to patients in the Netherlands," said Dr. Moataz Karmalawy, general manager of Varian's Particle Therapy division. "As well as offering pencil-beam scanning, the most advanced form of proton therapy, HollandPTC will be a key research site feeding into a national program to study and improve the efficacy of protons."

HollandPTC business director Rob Florijn adds: "The arrival of the cyclotron is an important milestone in the realization of HollandPTC. Varian has been a great partner in achieving this, as well as joining us in our research efforts towards a new generation of proton therapy."

Varian's ProBeam technology is being used to treat patients at the Scripps Proton Therapy Center in San Diego, the Maryland Proton Therapy Center in Baltimore, the Rinecker Proton Therapy Center in Munich, and at the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland.  Varian also has contracts for system installations at ten other sites around the world. Varian's ProBeam system with Dynamic Peak^™ Scanning is uniquely capable of high-speed intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT) which is the most precise form of proton therapy available.

For more information:  Neil Madle, +44-7786-526068, [email protected]

About Varian Medical Systems
Varian Medical Systems, Inc., of Palo Alto, California, focuses energy on saving lives by equipping the world with advanced technology for fighting cancer and for X-ray imaging.  The company is the world's leading manufacturer of medical devices and software for treating cancer and other medical conditions with radiation. The company provides comprehensive solutions for radiotherapy, radiosurgery, proton therapy and brachytherapy. The company supplies informatics software for managing comprehensive cancer clinics, radiotherapy centers and medical oncology practices. Varian is also a premier supplier of X-ray imaging components, including tubes, digital detectors, cables and connectors as well as image processing software and workstations for use in medical and industrial settings, as well as for security and non-destructive testing.  Varian Medical Systems employs approximately 7,400 people who are located at manufacturing sites in North America, Europe, and China and sales and support offices around the world.  For more information, visit http://www.varian.com or follow us on Twitter.

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