Kenya becomes first EA country to treat cancer patients using Halcyon radiotherapy system

Kenya’s capital-based Nairobi West Hospital becomes the first clinic in Kenya including East, West and Central Africa to treat the cancer patients using the Halcyon radiotherapy system.

The Halcyon system simplifies and enhances virtually every aspect of image-guided volumetric intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), including improved patient comfort and shortening the time from installation to first-treatment without sacrificing quality. The system is well suited to treat a majority of cancer patients, offering advanced treatments for lung, prostate, breast, head & neck, and many other forms of cancer.

The Halcyon system features a streamlined workflow that only requires nine steps from the start to the end of treatment compared to up to more than 30 steps with older technologies thereby reducing the total treatment time. To assist in the reduction of time and construction costs from installation to first patient treatment, Halcyon offers expedited commissioning, requires less shielding than traditional systems, can fit in the majority of existing small vaults, and can be installed in two weeks or less.

"The installation and treatments on the Halcyon system is a major achievement for patients and cancer care delivery in Kenya and in the region," said Sukhmeet Sandhu, chief executive officer, The Nairobi West Hospital. "The streamlined workflow and the advanced capabilities of the Halcyon system will have a positive impact on the increased number of cancer patients we can treat every year."

"At Varian we believe that by increasing access to advanced cancer care we can move closer to achieving a world without fear of cancer," said Jean-Luc Devleeschauwer, president, Varian Oncology Systems EMEIA. "We are proud of our collaboration with The Nairobi West Hospital on the installation of the Halcyon system. The whole process from our first meeting, to treatment room construction, to installation and staff training, only took nine months. I commend the Nairobi West Hospital and Varian teams for quickly bringing this advanced treatment capability to cancer patients in Kenya and the region," Devleeschauwer added.

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