New radiation technology could mean shorter treatments for Colorado cancer patients

CASTLE ROCK, Colo. - A new radiation therapy system coming to AdventHealth Castle Rock could help people facing cancer spend less time on the treatment table while receiving care in their own community.

Called Accela, the system is designed to deliver precisely targeted radiation faster than earlier systems.

The hospital plans to install the Siemens Healthineers technology at the Schrader Family Cancer Center in November.

Patient treatments are expected to begin in summer 2027, pending clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and completion of the hospital's preparations.

Radiation therapy uses targeted radiation to destroy cancer cells.

Accela uses a machine called a medical linear accelerator to produce high-energy X-rays. These X-rays target cancer cells inside the body while limiting radiation exposure to nearby healthy tissue, said Michael Tallhamer, chief of radiation physics in AdventHealth's Rocky Mountain Region.

Faster treatment could make visits more comfortable for patients.

"For the patient, that means less time spent working to stay still and less discomfort during what could otherwise be a long session," Tallhamer said.

For local families, the potential benefits extend beyond shorter treatment sessions.

Some radiation treatment plans require weekday visits over several weeks. Offering this care in Castle Rock could reduce trips to the Denver area, giving patients more time to rest and recover.

"When someone hears the word 'cancer,' their life changes overnight. Anything we can do to make that journey a little easier matters," said Amy Horner, regional director of oncology in AdventHealth's Rocky Mountain Region.

The system's imaging tools are designed to give care teams a clearer view of tumors and nearby healthy tissue.

Delivering radiation faster could also reduce the chance that a patient's movement or a shift in organ position affects how closely the radiation hits its target.

The planned technology also includes optical tracking, which uses cameras to monitor a patient's position. It can pause the radiation beam if the patient moves beyond preset limits. Specialized imaging would let care teams see radiation delivery on the patient as it happens.

Before treatments begin, AdventHealth's medical physicists, specialists who help ensure radiation treatments are accurate and safe, will work with Siemens Healthineers and physicists from around the world to evaluate the system.

They will check image accuracy, measure radiation beams for treatment planning and test the systems that track patient position.

The project builds on years of community support for expanded cancer care and the center's vision of providing advanced treatment close to home.

"The technology is exciting, but what means the most is knowing that together we're creating something that will serve local families for years to come," Horner said.