FLORIDA, United States — In what is being described as a promising development for cancer patients in the Caribbean region, North Shore Medical Center in Miami, Florida, has installed the Edgeª system for high-precision radiosurgery.

This new technology reportedly gives patients a non-invasive alternative to traditional surgery.

A news release from Tenet Healthcare — Florida Region said on Friday that North Shore Medical Center is the first hospital in Miami to acquire this technology.

Developed by Varian Medical Systems, the Edgeª radiosurgery system is said to accurately target tumours and other abnormalities without an incision or the need for recovery in a hospital setting. According to the release, its knifelike beam can accurately target tumours of the brain, spine, lung, and other areas that are typically difficult to treat surgically.

“The addition of this technology allows us to offer patients a fully integrated solution for planning and administering radiosurgery treatments,” said Dr Vincent H Patone, radiation oncologist and medical director of the Cancer Center at North Shore Medical Center. “With cancer being the leading cause of death in the Caribbean and Latin America, it is our goal to make sure we are doing everything possible to achieve a positive outcome for our patients.”

The Edgeª system delivers radiosurgery treatments quickly while monitoring and compensating for motion through the use of advanced imaging and real-time motion tracking technologies, the release continued. A complex radiosurgery that typically takes 30 to 60 minutes can usually be completed in less than 15 minutes, it continued.

“We are pleased to bring to the global community a promising new cancer therapy that can potentially save lives and dramatically reduce the length and risk of treatment,” said Manny Linares, hospital CEO. “This investment builds on the strength of our oncology programme and demonstrates our commitment to diagnosing and treating patients with the latest cutting-edge medical technology.”

Varian’s Calypso® “GPS for the Body” system is also used to track tumour position in real time. Even tumours that move when a patient breathes (for example, those in the lung, liver or breast) can be precisely targeted due to special tools that compensate for motion throughout a treatment, the release said.

Additionally, the Edgeª system can alert clinicians if a patient has moved in a way that could compromise treatment accuracy.

“A sophisticated treatment couch with six axes of motion enhances treatment precision by providing many angles of attack for targeting tumours while minimising exposure of nearby critical organs,” the release from Tenet Healthcare — Florida Region said.