A feature article about ultra-fast cancer treatments recently published in the BBC website highlights the STELLA project, in which several members of the Cockcroft Institute are working to improve access to radiotherapy in lower middle-income countries (LMIC), particularly in Africa.
A report published last year by the Lancet Oncology Commission, which also included members of the Cockcroft Institute, highlighted the persistent global disparities in access to radiotherapy and theranostics, and proposed a series of actions to address these challenges. For instance, only about 10% of cancer patients in low-income countries have access to radiotherapy, compared to 90% in high-income countries. The causes of this disparity go beyond the mere costs of the machines, as in hot and humid environments, radiotherapy particle accelerators often break down, and with few trained technicians, repairs can take time.
The STELLA project (Smart Technology to Extend Lives with Linear Accelerators) aims to develop next-generation accelerators with integrated software that can predict faults in advance and streamline maintenance, enabling countries to make the best use of the machines they have by minimising downtime. The project is led by CERN together with the International Cancer Expert Corps (ICEC) charity, and its conceptual design was developed through the UK ITAR project (Innovative Technology for improving Access to Radiotherapy), led by Graeme Burt.
As part of the STELLA project, STFC has recently awarded funding to the Cockcroft Institute and John Adams Institute, alongside the University of Cambridge to develop the SAPPHIRE training programme (Supra-African Physics Partnership for Health Innovation and Radiotherapy Expansion), which will run two advanced schools in Africa, taking place in Ghana and Pretoria in South Africa. The project is funded under the Africa-UK Physics Partnership programme with the UK part funded by STFC. The schools will involve training in medical linacs and medical physics, and include computational labs to simulate the linac and treatment using it. The schools will be supported by Francis Hasford, Hannah Ayettey, Eric Addison from Ghana and Surbhi Grover, Lutendo Christopher Nethwadzi from Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria, as well as expertise from CERN. The project will bring together Medical-LINAC facilities in Accra, Korle Bu and Kumasi (Ghana) and Biko Academic Hospital, Pretoria (South Africa). The BBC article can be found here: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250121-the-physics-transforming-cancer