GenesisCare are finalists at the upcoming prestigious LaingBuisson Awards 2022
We are delighted to be finalists in the prestigious LaingBuisson Awards 2022 in the Healthcare Outcomes category. The awards celebrate innovation and our selection is in recognition of our collaboration with University of Oxford to provide a Compassionate Access Programme utilising MR-Linac technology, providing access to NHS patients who would otherwise have had few or no options.
The aim of the programme was to
- Provide access to MRI-guided SABR free of cost to patients with medically inoperable, locally advanced, borderline resectable, or locally recurrent pancreatic cancer, particularly where other treatments weren’t available during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Build the evidence base for using MRI-guided SABR in the treatment of pancreatic cancer and to share this knowledge and expertise with the NHS oncology community
- Support the worldwide research community to find new and better ways to treat pancreatic cancer
Over the course of the programme, we treated patients from over 30 NHS Trusts, indicating that oncologists and patients are open to innovative, collaborative models that allow access to new treatments. Whilst it’s too early to be definite about outcomes, so far results have been encouraging and several patients have gone on to have surgery that would otherwise not have been possible.
The Compassionate Access Programme has really helped me to access this type of treatment. I don’t have medical insurance; without this treatment, I don’t know if I’d still be here.”
- Maxine, CAP patient
GenesisCare has two of the only MR-Linacs in the UK available outside of clinical trials. Located at our centres in Oxford and London, they are available to patients throughout the UK. Since launch, we have treated over 550 patients with tumours including prostate, lung and pancreas and treated several UK firsts including treatment for central lung tumours and simultaneous ablation of 5 liver metastases.
The technology combines an MRI scanner with a linear accelerator, providing live, high-quality visualisation of the tumour and surrounding tissue. The increased accuracy from these images gives clinicians much greater confidence that they’re hitting the target 100% of the time and has been shown to be particularly advantageous in treating difficult or previously untreatable cancers such as pancreatic cancers that haven’t spread.
The greater accuracy also means that fewer fractions are needed as a higher radiation dose can be administered safely and the patient benefit is significant. Fewer fractions mean fewer hospital visits and the ability to get back to everyday life sooner.
Dr James Good, Clinical Oncologist and Clinical Director of SABR at GenesisCare says: “The MRIdian machine is at the cutting-edge of what is possible in radiotherapy technology. The ability to visualise the tumour more accurately, to follow it while it’s being treated and to adapt the plan every day means we can deliver the best possible outcomes.”
Furthermore, this programme has aided the accelerated adoption of CT-guided SABR, with it now being commissioned by NHS England. This programme has also been a springboard for a GenesisCare funded, Oxford University led clinical trial, EMERALD as well as other collaborative projects, potentially including a second Compassionate Access Programme this year.
These programmes are extremely important as the outcomes will be carefully monitored so we can build evidence for this cutting-edge treatment to demonstrate its merit to oncologists across the UK, and ultimately aim to open up access to patients throughout the UK.”
- Prof Maughan, University of Oxford
We are proud of the outcome of this programme and for being recognised by LaingBuisson for our commitment to providing better healthcare outcomes. You can find out more about MRIdian and how GenesisCare are treating complex cancers with this new technology here.
