New technology being deployed at the Juravinski Cancer Centre should decrease treatment times and limit collateral damage during radiation therapies.

The CyberKnife robotic radiosurgery system allows for highly accurate treatment of tumours, working around vital organs rather than blasting near or through them. The system can then use larger doses of radiation, which means a reduced number of treatments — between one and five, compared to as many as 30 with convential radiotherapy.

"It's now possible to give quite high doses of radiation directly to the cancer to improve cure rates and limit side effects," said Dr. Tim Whelan, head of radiation oncology at the Juravinski.

It can also be used to battle cancer in situations where surgery is not possible, such as those adjacent to vital organs. Whelan said the system has usually been used on cancers of the brain, lung, liver, spine, pancreas and kidney, but local doctors will also conduct trials on breast and prostate cancer.

The CyberKnife is a room-sized device with a robotic arm that can point a beam of radiation in any direction while the patient remains stationary. Thanks to a combination of real-time imaging and software, it takes into account movement, such as that due to breathing, in order to track the tumor.

The Juravinski is the first site in Ontario to have the equipment. It will be deployed in the spring.

The new technology and its near-pinpoint accuracy is a far cry from the broad-strokes method that was the standard when Dr. Bill Evans started practising oncology.

Back then, rectangular areas were blocked off on the body and "you assumed you were covering the tumor." While treating prostate cancer, for example, the bladder and rectum might also receive radiation.

"In some respects, radiation got a bad name because there were toxicities as a result of injuring normal tissues," Evans said.

The province, through Cancer Care Ontario, covered $2.85 million of the cost of the machine. The Juravinski Cancer Centre Foundation had to come up with nearly $1 million to bring the CyberKnife to Hamilton. That money came mainly through two large donations.

Mischa Weisz, who died earlier this year of pancreatic cancer, donated $500,000.

Connie Weisz, his widow, said her husband found out about the CyberKnife while researching ways to battle his own cancer. While that technology would not help his situation, Mischa wondered why it wasn't available in Ontario.

"Mischa loved technology and was very impressed with what this technology could do," said Connie Weisz.

SC Johnson, with offices in Brantford, donated $250,000.