MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center Now Offers Varian Edge™ - the Fastest, Most Precise Radiation Treatment Available

LONG BEACH, Calif., June 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The MemorialCare Todd Cancer Institute at Long Beach Medical Center has added the Varian Edge™ radiosurgery system to its cancer-fighting arsenal. The Varian Edge™ is a fully integrated system for performing advanced radiosurgery using new real-time tumor tracking technology and motion management capabilities. It cuts treatment time down up to 10 – 15 minutes and is the most accurate radiation placement device on the market.

Radiosurgery is a type of external radiation therapy that gives a large dose of radiation to a hard-to-reach tumor. Once the exact location of the tumor is known from highly-detailed scans, radiation is sent to the area from many different angles. It's called "radiosurgery" because it's so exact in where it delivers the radiation beams, it's almost how exact surgery can be, but without the incision.

The Varian Edge was designed to facilitate fast, accurate delivery of stereotactic radiosurgery to treat tumors of the brain, breasts, lung, prostate, spine, and other areas throughout the body. 

"We have a long history of innovation and leadership in the field of radiation oncology," says Nisar Syed, M.D., medical director, Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Radiation Oncology Center, MemorialCare Todd Cancer Institute, Long Beach Medical Center. "We're continuing to stay at the forefront of cancer treatments by acquiring the latest systems, like the Varian Edge, that increase precision and may improve patient satisfaction and comfort."

The Varian Edge uses the highest dosage rate of radiation in the industry. Because of this, the treatment time and number of treatments is significantly less compared to conventional radiation treatment. Using motion-monitoring technology, the Varian Edge also performs accuracy checks every 10 milliseconds to ensure correct placement, and pauses treatment when motion is detected. This results in minimal impact on surrounding healthy tissue and organs, while delivering maximum radiation to the tumor.

"The benefits for our patients are amazing," says Linda Chan, M.D., radiation oncologist, MemorialCare Todd Cancer Institute, Long Beach Medical Center. "Because of the enhanced precision and accuracy that this system allows us to achieve, our patients are able to spend less time away from work and more time in their normal daily activities."

Long Beach Medical Center is the only hospital in the region to offer both the Varian Edge and AlignRT, which is a radiation therapy guidance system that has been shown to reduce radiation exposure to the heart while patients are being treated for left breast cancer. These two systems together provide the most precise radiation treatment available for patients with breast cancer. 

Radiation therapy is one of the most common cancer treatments. It can be used alone or with other treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy or targeted therapies. 

Depending on the patient's cancer type, how advanced the cancer is and its location, the Varian Edge may be an appropriate treatment option. At the MemorialCare Todd Cancer Institute, a team of highly sub-specialized physicians, including radiation oncologists, surgeons and medical oncologists collaborate to design targeted treatment plans that best suit the individual needs of each patient.  

About MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center:
MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center has been providing the community with compassionate, quality health care for more than 100 years. While leading in specialized care, research and education, Long Beach Medical Center uses the most advanced health care technologies – it is the only hospital in L.A. County with the innovative ExactechGPS^® and ExcelsiusGPS^® surgical systems. Long Beach Medical Center is ranked no. 9 in the Los Angeles Metro Area by U.S. News & World Report and has earned Magnet® recognition for nursing excellence. With leading centers for cancer, heart, rehabilitation, orthopedics, neurology and trauma, physicians and surrounding hospitals continually refer to its accredited programs. For more information, visit memorialcare.org/LongBeach.

SOURCE MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center