The Federal and South Australian governments have announced a jointly funded $11.5 million cancer centre for Adelaide’s Lyell McEwin Hospital.

 

The new Cancer Centre being developed at the hospital will increase the number of chemotherapy chairs by a third and double the number of patients who can receive radiotherapy locally.

 

Premier Jay Weatherill said that along with access to the very best radiation oncologists and therapists, the new centre would reduce travel, inconvenience and stress on patients and their families.

 

 

“It also is another important milestone in the $339 million redevelopment of the Lyell McEwin Hospital into one of South Australia’s three major tertiary hospitals,” Mr Weatherill said.

 

“Based in one of our fastest growing districts, a specialist centre with increased capacity to treat and care for cancer patients will make a big difference.”

 

The Lyell McEwin Hospital Cancer Centre will incorporate the existing linear accelerator facility as well as an additional linear accelerator, a 12-chair chemotherapy area and six consulting rooms.

 

The second linear accelerator will be on site and in use by the end of next year.

 

Linear accelerators are used to treat patients with cancer by delivering a prescribed dose of highenergy x-rays to the patient’s tumour, destroying cancer cells while sparing normal tissue.