History was made at the Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH) following the commissioning of the facility’s CyberKnife radiotherapy services on September 27 2023.
Following the launch of the CyberKnife System–the first and only fully robotic radiotherapy device for cancer treatment last May–the first patient underwent treatment on September 27, in a trailblazing move geared at expanding access to advanced cancer care in Kenya.
Through KUTRRH, the country has become the first in sub-Sahara Africa to acquire the CyberKnife, making it possible for local patients to obtain access to the extremely precise stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) treatments the system delivers.
Speaking after witnessing the first patient treatment, KUTRRH Chairperson Prof Olive Mugenda said the journey to acquire the CyberKnife started last year as part of the Level Six facility’s corporate vision to create a Centre of Excellence in oncology by providing end-to-end diagnosis and treatment options for cancer patients.
On the diagnostic side, the hospital acquired the much-needed Positron emission tomography–computed tomography (PET-CT) and Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT-CT) services to complement existing linear particle accelerator (LINAC) and brachytherapy machines for treating cancerous tumours.
“The commissioning of the CyberKnife system is a major milestone for oncology management in Kenya… As part of the strategic plan, for the last few years, we have harboured the need to move into high precision treatment, and thanks to the Government’s support, KUTRRH finally managed to acquire the CyberKnife machine, which is a bold but best decision for Kenya in the effort to decrease outbound medical tourism and increase inbound medical tourism,” Prof Mugenda noted.
The commencement of CyberKnife treatment services comes after an intense and much-awaited completion of the commissioning process after the launch of the CyberKnife Centre by President William Ruto last May.
The commissioning has been a tedious and delicate process jointly undertaken by medical physicists from Accuray, the equipment manufacturer, and KUTRRH medical physicists, doctors, radiotherapists and oncologists.
Added Prof Mugenda: “This process, which took five months after the launch by the President, included a dry run and the collection of very delicate data to ensure that the machine processes were accurate and ready to deliver precise and successful treatment to our patients…
“The commencement of the treatment also marks a key milestone for Kenya, the region and Africa in general. The services are now available without travelling outside the country for Kenyans or outside Africa for the regional patients.”
Experts who were involved in the CyberKnife treatment included Abdil Jabbari (Application specialist and medical physicist from Accurray, USA); Ruth Wambui ( Radiation therapist and the KUTRRH CyberKnife centre manager) and Peter Loreh (A medical physicist and KUTRRHA Radiotherapy department head).
Others were: Dr Tracy Irura (Radiation oncologist and the lead oncologist in CyberKnife) and Dr Shridhar (a radiation oncologist at HCG India who has undertaken over 4,000 CyberKnife treatments).
According to a press release, the KUTRRH Board and Management has thanked the Government for availing the funds to acquire this first-of-its-kind equipment, which gives the patient the best chance of overcoming the disease challenge.
According to experts, CyberKnife treatment is an essential advancement in radiation therapy, offering precise and effective treatment options for a wide range of medical conditions, especially cancer, while minimising side effects and improving the overall patient experience.
Unlike traditional surgery, CyberKnife is a non-invasive treatment option which does not require incisions or anaesthesia which leads to quicker recovery times and fewer complications for patients.
At the same time, CyberKnife is precise, resulting in reduced side effects and improved outcomes.
According to experts, CyberKnife treatment is recommended for various conditions, including cancerous and non-cancerous tumours.
Its precise tumour treatment capacity to sub-millimetre accuracy levels makes treatment preferred using CyberKnife for several conditions such as prostate cancer, lung cancer, brain tumuors, spine tumours and liver cancer among others.
“It is also ideal in the treatment of non-cancerous conditions, including Trigeminal Neuralgia as well as treatment of Arteriovenous Malformations (AVMs), which are abnormal tangles of blood vessels, and Acoustic Neuromas, which are benign tumours on the acoustic nerve…
“These benign tumours are responsible for hearing and balance,”.
CyberKnife treatment is also applied for pancreatic lesions and also certain functional disorders, such as epilepsy, by targeting specific brain areas responsible for seizures.
It can also be used for stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), which are highly focused and precise radiation therapy used for various conditions.
According to the press release, KUTRRH has urged oncologists to contact their medical team to discuss their patients’ eligibility so that they are booked accordingly.
“The acquisition of the machine and the commencement of the treatment supports the government’s efforts for universal healthcare as the treatment is available to all Kenyans from different socio-economic backgrounds,”
At the same time, it also supports UHC given that it is fully covered by NHIF, and patients with NHIF don’t have to add any money to access the treatment.
Experts say accessing CyberKnife treatment has been costly for many patients from Kenya and the region, given the machine was not available in Africa except in Egypt, which was also recently installed.
Prof Mugenda notes: “The fact that NHIF will cover the cost of treatment will be of great benefit to many Kenyans…
“We are also engaging other insurance companies to meet the cost of treatment between Sh300,000-350,000. Treatment costs are also a small fraction of the current cost charged for similar treatment in Asia, Europe and America, especially those self-paying or using other insurance plans.”
