1620 – Magnetic Resonance Image Guided Radiation Therapy

New MBS item.

Radiation therapy uses a controlled dose of radiation to kill cancer cells or damage them so they cannot grow, multiply or spread. The radiation is usually in the form of focused x-ray beams, also known as photons. It is a localised treatment, which means it generally affects only the part of the body where the radiation is targeted.

Type: Therapeutic

Cancer is a range of diseases where abnormal cells grow rapidly and can spread uncontrolled throughout the body. These cancerous cells can invade and destroy surrounding tissue and spread (metastasise) to distant parts of the body. An estimated 114, 000 new cases of cancer were diagnosed in Australia in 2010 and the Cancer Council Australia estimates that 1 in 2 Australians will be diagnosed with cancer by the age of 85. Cancer is now the leading cause of death in Australia, and although mainly affecting the older population, is a leading cause of premature death. Many patients live for a number of years with a diagnosis of cancer, potentially requiring ongoing intervention to support quality of life.

• PASC meeting: 17 April 2020
• ESC meeting: 11 to 12 February 2021
• MSAC meeting: 31 March to 1 April 2021