Accuray Incorporated (NASDAQ: ARAY) announced on October 8 that the clinical team at Healthcare Global Enterprises (HCG) EKO, Kolkata, has treated the first patient in India using the Radixact System.

HCG EKO is part of Healthcare Global Enterprises Ltd HCG, India's largest provider of cancer care. The Radixact System marks a major step forward in treatment precision, speed, efficiency and ease of use with the potential to provide significant clinical benefits to cancer patients in India. 

An early adopter of leading-edge technology, HCG was also the first in India to introduce the TomoH System, a fully integrated 3D conformal and image-guided intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IG-IMRT) system, and the CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System, technology designed to deliver stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT).

Dr. BS Ajaikumar, Chairman & CEO, HCG Enterprises Ltd said, "Being at the forefront of the fight against cancer, HCG strives to offer precision treatment to cancer patients, reinforcing the ideology the right way, the first time. The practice of adopting cutting-edge technologies like the Radixact System, along with our clinical expertise, has enabled us to move one step closer towards precise and personalized care, therefore improving the quality of life of cancer patients."

According to data from the International Agency for Research on Cancer's GLOBOCAN initiative, the number of new cases of cancer diagnosed in India will grow from approximately 1 million per year in 2012 to more than 1.5 million by 2030. Based on 2012 estimates, breast, cervical, head and neck, and lung cancers account for more than 50 percent of new cases diagnosed.

"For years, HCG and Accuray have partnered to bring advanced cancer care to India with the goal of improving the lives of those diagnosed with this disease," said Lionel Hadjadjeba, M.D., Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Accuray. "HCG's selection of the Radixact System reflects growing market acceptance of this next-generation TomoTherapy platform as a true workhorse for the treatment of virtually all cancer cases, as well as continued momentum for our products in key markets around the world. We congratulate HCG on this milestone and look forward to continuing our collaboration to bring clinical and technological innovation to India." PWR

The Radixact System's unique ring gantry architecture and efficient daily low-dose fan beam 3DCT image guidance make it an optimal solution for treating these tumors, as well as the complete range of radiation therapy indications. The Radixact System offers clinicians the flexibility to deliver treatment from clinician-specified beam angles with TomoDirect mode, or by continuous delivery of radiation from 360 degrees around the patient using TomoHelical mode, resulting in highly accurate, individualized dose distributions that precisely conform to the shape of the patient's tumor A built-in CT scanner performs daily imaging before each treatment session.

The daily imaging capability makes it possible for clinicians to identify and correct for any variations in patient positioning, changes in the tumor or in other factors, such as weight gain or loss, to ensure the continued precise and safe delivery of the radiation dose to the target area.

Fully-integrated and easy to use, an adaptive treatment planning solution called PreciseART Adaptive Radiation Therapy Software enables the clinical team to adjust therapy to changes in patient anatomy during the course of treatment, including both changes in the tumor size, shape, and location as well as changes in surrounding healthy tissue. The PreciseRTX Retreatment Option makes it easier for clinicians to plan and deliver precise doses of radiation in those cases where, unfortunately, cancer has recurred and retreatment with radiation is necessary