​Frequently Asked Questions

Radiation Therapy under TrueBeam™ (Advanced Cancer Treatment Technology)

What is Radiotherapy? 

Radiotherapy is the treatment of cancer (and a few non-cancerous conditions) using high-energy X-rays. Radiotherapy may be given on its own or, as is often the case, alongside other treatments such as surgery or chemotherapy.

At what stage of cancer treatment do you need it?

Radiotherapy can be used before surgery to shrink a tumor, after surgery to eliminate residual cells, or as a primary treatment in cases where surgery isn’t an option. It's also used for symptom relief in advanced cancer.

What factors should a patient consider when choosing where to do their radiation therapy?

• Patients should consider:

• The technology and precision available

• The experience of the clinical team

• Whether care is multidisciplinary and personalized

• Wait times, patient support services, and follow-up care

What of the advanced radiotherapy technology introduced at Aga Khan University Hospital?

The new technology is called the TrueBeam™ radiotherapy system, developed by Varian Medical Systems. 

What has necessitated the transition from the older linear accelerator to TrueBeam?

TrueBeam represents a leap in precision, speed, and safety.  For Aga Khan University Hospital, the new system will allow for new services, these include image-guided, highly conformal treatments like Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT), Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT), and Stereotactic RadioSurgery (SRS)—reducing side effects, sparing healthy tissues, and shortening treatment time. This transition ensures patients receive modern, internationally benchmarked care.

How widely available is this cancer treatment technology in Africa?

TrueBeam technology is not widely available on the continent. Only a few centres in South Africa, Egypt, Kenya, and Nigeria have installed it. This makes Aga Khan University Hospital facility among the few in sub-Saharan Africa offering cutting-edge radiotherapy.

How different is this acquisition from what is locally available in other hospitals?

While some centers offer modern radiotherapy, the TrueBeam system acquired at AKUHN stands out for its precision, speed, and versatility. It combines multiple advanced features in one platform—such as image-guided therapy, stereotactic treatments, and motion tracking—allowing highly targeted care.

What makes our setup especially unique is:

• Surface-guided radiation therapy (SGRT): A camera-based system that replaces skin tattoos and improves comfort and precision—ideal for breast, brain, and pediatric patients.

• AI-powered planning tools: These support doctors and physicists in designing faster, safer, and more personalized treatment plans.

• HyperArc™ technology: A cutting-edge system designed specifically for treating multiple brain tumors in one session with extreme accuracy—something not available in most other centers. It shortens treatment time while improving safety and outcomes.

Which cancers will this machine be able to treat?

TrueBeam can treat virtually all cancer types requiring radiotherapy, including:

• Breast, prostate, cervical, and head & neck cancers

• Lung, liver, and brain tumors

• Paediatric and spinal tumors

• Metastatic lesions needing stereotactic approaches

As a cancer patient, why should I choose to do my radiation therapy with this technology over any other?

TrueBeam offers faster, more accurate, and safer treatment. It targets tumors with sub-millimeter precision, which reduces damage to surrounding organs, resulting in fewer side effects and a better quality of life during treatment.

Does this technology reduce the duration of treatment?

Yes. Thanks to advanced techniques like VMAT and SBRT, many patients complete treatment in fewer sessions—sometimes just 1 – 5 sessions compared to the traditional 25 - 30. Each session is also shorter, often under 10 minutes.

What other benefits come with undergoing treatment with this technology?

• Real-time imaging ensures each treatment is perfectly aligned.

• Lower radiation exposure to healthy tissue, minimizing complications.

• Quiet, patient-friendly design reduces anxiety during sessions.

• Enables complex treatments like retreatment or targeting tumors that move (e.g., lung).

Is it safe to be in close contact with someone undergoing radiation therapy?

Radiotherapy treatments for most cancers are delivered from outside the body. When receiving the radiotherapy, it is painless and it does not make one radioactive – it is perfectly safe to be with other people including children and pregnant women throughout the treatment.