Niagara Health’s Walker Family Cancer Centre (WFCC) is upgrading its cancer treatment technology with a state-of-the-art Varian Edge linear accelerator, making it the first centre in Ontario to adopt this advanced model.
“Our team of highly skilled professionals at the WFCC is dedicated to delivering safe and effective cancer care. This new technology will allow them to do what they do best — provide personalized, compassionate and high-quality treatment for our patients,” says Dr. Adrian Ishkanian, Physician Lead, Radiation Medicine at WFCC.
The state-of-the-art equipment was delivered in December 2024. Extensive training and planning has gone into the preparation of the April 22 launch.
“This machine is top-of-the-line,” says Mike Moore, a medical physicist who plays a key role in ensuring the safe and effective use of radiation technology. “It’s capable of delivering highly precise radiation treatments to tumours while sparing nearby healthy tissue.”
Radiation therapy works by directing beams of radiation at cancerous tumours to destroy them. Using advanced imaging and treatment planning software, the Varian Edge can customize the radiation beam to match the shape and location of each patient’s tumour, even as the machine rotates around the patient. This precision allows physicians to target the cancer more accurately while minimizing radiation exposure to healthy tissues, such as the lungs or spinal cord.
“The field has evolved so much,” says Moore, recalling the textbooks from his studies showed radiation treatments were first done by using large metal blocks that would shield specific parts of the patient from harmful beams.
“One of the biggest advantages of having this model is that it has better targeting of the radiation dose,” says Nick Majtenyi, a medical physicist working closely with Moore to get the new machine up and running by April 22. “We will be able to treat smaller tumours with higher precision and better accuracy which will help improve care."
In addition, the Varian Edge’s accelerated imaging and treatment delivery speed could shorten individual treatment sessions. “A one-minute improvement per session may not sound like much, but when you’re treating 30 patients a day, it adds up to two extra treatment slots daily,” Moore notes.
Patients are monitored at all times during treatment sessions, which allows clinicians to adjust treatment based on patient’s movements.
The new machine is the first of three linear accelerators to be replaced year over year as part of an equipment refresh cycle. This is supported by Ontario Health and the generous assistance of the Niagara Health Foundation. The radiation medicine team at WFCC worked through an extensive selection process to choose the Varian Edge, prioritizing the machine’s ability to deliver complex treatments safely and efficiently.
Delivering radiation treatment is truly a team effort—one that relies on many minds and skillsets working together toward a single care plan. WFCC radiation therapists have taken part in extensive training to operate the new machine.
"Some of the training has included super-users sharing knowledge gained from offsite sessions, individual and group orientations, updating policies and procedures and creating efficient workflows,” said Diane Buick, radiation therapist at WFCC.
"It’s been amazing to collaborate with such a strong multidisciplinary team. Everyone has come together to make sure we feel confident and ready to provide the best possible care to our patients.”
“This upgrade is a game-changer,” Moore says. “We’re excited to keep advancing our practice and improving the experience for patients in our region.”
With the new Varian Edge in place, Niagara Health is set to enhance cancer treatment for patients across the region, ensuring a faster, safer and more precise experience throughout the entire process.
