Private Hospital London | The Harley Street Clinic

The CyberKnife Centre London has now treated its first cancer patients using this revolutionary new technique. 

The Harley Street Clinic, one of HCA International’s six acute hospitals in the Capital, has teamed up with London’s leading cancer experts to create a new world class treatment centre in the heart of London’s medical district.

The machine is part of a £15 million development programme for The Harley Street Clinic complex and is based at 81 Harley Street at the world renowned Cancer Centre.  The CyberKnife works in conjunction with CT cancer mapping technology and calculates how much radiotherapy a tumour needs to destroy all cancer cells without harming surrounding tissue.

Having mapped the tumour in 3D, a patient lies on a bed with the robotic accelerator delivering radiotherapy doses from many directions all around the body.   A separate camera monitors the effectiveness of the operation and works with the robotic arm so that the arm moves with the movement of the patient’s breathing - ensuring an accuracy of delivery never achieved before.

CyberKnife can treat tumours that were previously very difficult and sometimes dangerous, to treat with direct radiotherapy – such as cancer of the spine.  By targeting the tumour from all around the body and from many different angles, the correct dose can be delivered without damaging the spinal chord.

Neil Buckley, Chief Executive of The Harley Street Clinic and Director of HCA’s cancer services, says the CyberKnife – coupled with a range of other state of the art technology being installed – has created Europe’s leading cancer treatment facility.
“CyberKnife is the most significant technological advance in radiotherapy since the linear accelerator,” he said.  “This will have many benefits for patients and it is a major boost for London as an international centre for medical excellence.” 

The Clinical Director of the new CyberKnife Centre is oncologist Dr Nick Plowman who said the new machine gives cancer specialists new options for treating difficult tumours. “The linking of several technologies from CT and PET scanning with an accelerator head that can move with the patient’s every breath, means tumours can be targeted with greater accuracy than was previously possible. This machine, has shown remarkable results over its years of use in the US and elsewhere,” He said.

“Patients are now able to see their oncologists at our network of hospitals all over London and can come here for radiotherapy from CyberKnife.  A team of London-wide cancer specialists has been formed who are able to bring a new level of treatment for patients from London and the Home Counties,” said Dr Plowman.

Referral to a CyberKnife specialist for consideration for treatment must be from a cancer specialist.

Further extensive details can be found at www.cyberknifecentrelondon.co.uk