Doctors and patients alike had reason to celebrate the unveiling of Scotland’s first state-of-the-art radiosurgery scanner, which was put into operation at Edinburgh’s Western General last month. The device is expected to revolutionise treatment of a wide range of cancerous conditions, including brain tumours, prostrate, liver, spine and lung cancers.

The Novalis Tx, one of only three in the UK, and one of only a handful in Europe, has the ability to pinpoint, target and remove cancerous cells virtually anywhere in the body in a single 20 minute session. Powerful and highly accurate beams of radiation are fired to fit exactly the shape of even the most complex tumours, without harming neighbouring cells.

The groundbreaking radiosurgery device, which has been installed at The Edinburgh Cancer Centre, is expected to treat up to 700 patients per year. Operation waiting lists can be expected to drop significantly as some cancers can now be treated painlessly in as little as 15-20 minutes.

Scotland has around 25,000 new cases of cancer each year to deal with. The specialised techniques of the Novalis Tx are expected to be beneficial in the treatment of previously inoperable cancers, especially in the treatment of both malignant and benign brain tumours.

Health professionals who had eagerly awaited the arrival of the new device, expressed their delight at the unveiling of this major new asset to the NHS in Scotland.

Dr Sara Erridge, radiation oncologist at the Edinburgh Cancer Centre said: “We are delighted that our centre is the first in Scotland to start treating with Novalis TxTM. Unlike some other highly specialised radiation treatment machines, the Novalis Tx™ can treat many different types of cancer all over the body allowing us to treat more cancer patients with a single device without sacrifice of clinical accuracy. In our first year we are looking to treat 700 patients with the Novalis Tx™, 100 of which will be patients with brain tumours where precise, non-invasive treatment is particularly important as it can reduce the risk of damage to normal tissue.”

Cabinet Secretary for Health, Nicola Sturgeon said: “Improving cancer survival rates and cancer treatment and care are key priorities for NHS Scotland and the Scottish Government.

“The new equipment we are launching today, funded as part of the National Radiotherapy Capital Equipment Replacement Programme, will enable the Edinburgh Cancer Centre to more effectively target radiation of malignant tumours using state-of-the art imaging and robotics.

“This will help clinicians at the Edinburgh Cancer Centre greatly improve cancer treatment for patients from the Lothians and beyond, and support the work we will be undertaking through the Detect Cancer Early Plan to improve cancer survival rates throughout Scotland.”

Edinburgh’s Novalis Tx joins two other machines in Liverpool and Manchester in the detection and treatment of cancer.