Life Oncology
Life Oncology is moving oncology care forward so that you can look forward to life’s moments.
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At Life Oncology, part of the Life Healthcare group, our purpose is to make life better. We’re constantly innovating and seeking ways to improve patient care and treatment outcomes. We’ve progressed in how we treat cancers of the brain and spine with new technology that helps us plan and deliver radiation therapy more precisely.
New radiation tools
This new technology, Brainlab RT Elements, is available at three Life Oncology units that provide radiosurgery, a treatment that uses targeted radiation to ablate cancer cells. They are based at Life Eugene Marais Hospital, Life Hilton Private Hospital, and Life Vincent Pallotti Hospital.
Utilising this technology is a big step forward in how we approach the treatment of cancers in the brain and spine.
Radiotherapy is a common treatment that may be prescribed depending on the type and grading of cancer. It uses high-energy X-rays to target and destroy cancer cells. However, these high energy X-rays must be aimed precisely to avoid damaging nearby healthy tissue. That’s where RT Elements becomes useful as it helps our radiotherapy teams create detailed treatment plans that focus radiation exactly where it’s needed in the brain or spine, which helps protect healthy tissue and reduce side effects.
Alongside RT Elements, our Life Oncology teams use another system, called ExacTrac. This imaging system helps us position patients accurately during treatment, making sure that the radiation hits the right areas more effectively. Together, these technologies make the whole process smoother and more effective.
Natalie Clarke, Life Oncology national manager, explains why these new tools are so important, “The combination of RT Elements with ExacTrac allows us to treat our patients with even greater precision. This not only improves the effectiveness of treatment but also makes the experience easier for our patients as it causes less potential side effects and reduces the time spent in delivering treatment.”
By bringing in advanced technology, Life Oncology ensures that our patients get the most appropriate care to assist them through treatment. We believe that investing in the latest technology is crucial for delivering high-quality treatment and improving patient outcomes.
Novalis Certified
One of the Life Oncology units, based at Life Hilton Private Hospital, recently became the first private oncology unit in South Africa to receive a special certification, called Novalis Certified. This certification is awarded to hospitals that meet the highest standards for safe and effective radiosurgery.
Being Novalis Certified means that the Life Oncology unit at Life Hilton Private Hospital has been recognised for its commitment to providing quality care. This accreditation process is also currently underway at all other Life Oncology units offering radiosurgery treatments.
“The certification process is thorough and ensures that we are following the best practices for treating our patients,” says Clarke.
Moving oncology care forward
At Life Oncology, our goal is to keep improving and offering our patients the most effective, appropriate and advanced treatments to support their cancer treatment journey. We are dedicated to moving oncology care forward so that our patients can look forward to life’s moments.
This article is sponsored by Life Healthcare in the interest of education, awareness and support. The content and opinions expressed are entirely the healthcare professional’s own work and not influenced by Life Healthcare in any way.
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