Innovations to improve access and quality of radiotherapy

More than half of all people with cancer will need radiotherapy at some point in their care. Yet in many countries, the gap between need and access remains wide. At the UICC World Cancer Congress in Hong Kong, this panel brought together government, investors, clinicians, industry and the International Atomic Energy Agency to explore practical ways to close that gap.

The discussion itself was significant. Radiotherapy has not always had the same prominence in global cancer conversations as surgery and systemic treatment. Its inclusion in the Congress program reflects growing recognition that radiotherapy is an integral part of comprehensive cancer care, and that improving access must be part of the global response to cancer.

Finance was a natural place to start. For countries seeking to expand radiotherapy, access depends not only on acquiring equipment, but on finding sustainable ways to fund the infrastructure, servicing and long-term operation needed to keep treatment available to patients.

Dr. Adewole described how Nigeria, which eight years ago had no functioning radiotherapy machine, now has 25 linear accelerators in operation, built on investment that attracted international lenders once results were proven. Loans in local currency, he explained, protected services from currency swings. In Kenya, where around 22 machines serve a population of 54 million against an estimated need of 42 to 50, Dr. Bor-Malenya outlined an innovative pay-per-use model in development. It bundles new equipment with at least six years of maintenance, backed by volume guarantees and support to help patients reach treatment.

But increasing the number of machines is only one part of expanding access. As Jimmy Lam put it: "Technology alone won’t save lives. People do.” Dr. George Chiu described establishing new training for radiation therapists and medical physicists in Hong Kong, which required pushing for a change in the law. A regional training program in Cape Town has trained more than 450 professionals from around 20 countries. Lisa Stevens set out how the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Rays of Hope initiative helps countries build investment-ready plans and train their teams through regional anchor centers.

The discussion ultimately returned to what access means for patients. Questions from the audience highlighted that a machine that frequently breaks down, or a pathway that leaves patients waiting and anxious, does not in itself represent meaningful access. As Dr. Grover concluded, the goal is not simply greater access to radiotherapy, but access to quality radiotherapy.