A new type of radiation treatment, which will be rolled out nationwide, has been used on cancer patients for the first time.
RapidArc Radiation Therapy cuts the treatment time by 80% and reduces the side effects.
A group of patients with prostate cancer have been the first ones to receive the treatment at the St Luke's Radiation Oncology Centre at St James's Hospital.
The RapidArc machine generates its own radiation and revolves around the patient delivering simultaneous beams to cancerous cells.
It delivers a standard dose of radiation in just two minutes, which is a significant reduction from the traditional 20 minutes session.
Advanced technology means software can be used to shape the radiation beams so they target only the cancerous cells, sparing healthy tissue that traditional radiotherapy damages.
This dramatically reduces side effects for patients because there is little or no damage to healthy cells.
Currently the RapidArc treatment is only available at the centre in St James's Hospital.
The therapy machines have also been installed at Beaumont Hospital and the first patients will be treated there next week.
The treatment will then be extended to other cancer care radiation centres under the National Cancer Control Programme.
The RapidArc machines at the St Luke's Radiation Oncology Network (the network comprises the centres at St James's, Beaumont and St Luke's in Rathgar) are the result of a €50m investment by the National Cancer Control Programme.
The first patients to be treated using the RapidArc radiation therapy have prostate cancer, but the plan is that it will be available to all cancer patients who require radiotherapy later in the year.
