Tribune News Network
Doha
A new state-of-the-art radiotherapy unit that uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create specialised treatment plans for cancer patients was inaugurated at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC).
ETHOS, the newly commissioned Adaptive Radiotherapy unit at National Center for Cancer Care and Research (NCCCR), was inaugurated this week at Hamad Medical Corporation at a ceremony attended by Ali Al Janahi, acting assistant managing director and chief of Tertiary Care; HMC’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Abdulla Al Ansari and Dr Mohammed Salem Jaber Al Hassan, CEO and medical director of the NCCCR.
First of its kind in the region, the ETHOS system harnesses the power of artificial intelligence to create completely new treatment plans for patients for every session based on natural daily variations in the patient’s anatomy. Adaptive treatments utilising artificial intelligence are personalised daily to compensate for changes in the patient’s anatomy, improving cancer targeting capability, resulting in more effective treatment.
This gives physicians important information by tracking changes daily and suggests the required improvements in treatment by adapting radiation dosage distribution to focus on the targeted area of treatment permitting the clinicians to deliver the most appropriate treatment for better clinical outcomes and minimise toxicities. Janahi said that the new system was another milestone in HMC’s ongoing commitment to ensure patients in Qatar have access to the latest technologies and treatments.
“Qatar will be the first in the Middle East to have this cutting-edge technology and this is another example of how HMC continuously strives to provide our patients with the highest possible standard of care,” he said. “Congratulations to the Radiation Oncology Team at the National Center for Cancer Care Research and all other departments who supported the installation and implementation of this technology in Qatar for their work and collaboration for achieving this great milestone in cancer care in Qatar and Middle East.”
Dr Al Hassan said this system enabled more targeted and therefore more effective radiation therapy for certain types of cancers.
“This has great promise for our patients and we are very excited to now have this additional capability in our centre. We are proud to offer this treatment, and we are dedicated to developing and progressing cancer treatment options in Qatar,” he said.
Dr Noora Al Hammadi, deputy medical director and chair of Radiation Oncology, said some organs in the body that require radiation therapy can change in size and shape over the days and weeks that a course of treatment can take.
“The aim of adaptive radiation therapy is to account for these changes and deliver the radiation dose to the tumour as accurately as possible – as a result significantly enhance the quality of care for appropriately selected patients,” she said.
