São Paulo Radiotherapy Unit Adds Accelerator Amid SUS Waits
A new linear accelerator at InRad, reported by Estadão, could shorten radiotherapy courses for some cancer patients in São Paulo. The machine is not yet operating, with a start date between September and October. The post São Paulo Radiotherapy Unit Adds Accelerator Amid SUS Waits appeared first on The Rio Times .
São Paulo radiotherapy facilities are set to benefit from a new linear accelerator, a development detailed in a recent Estadão column. The R$ 8 million device, acquired by the Instituto de Radiologia do Hospital das Clínicas (InRad), could potentially reduce treatment times for certain cancer patients. However, the accelerator has not yet begun treating patients, as its operational date remains pending.
The installation, part of InRad's equipment renewal, promises to deliver more precise doses, allowing for shorter courses in some cases. Dr. Heloísa de Andrade Carvalho, the radiotherapy service coordinator, explained that breast cancer patients who previously underwent 25 days of treatment could now complete the course in 15 or even as few as five days.
For prostate cancer, the treatment duration could be reduced to almost half. These improvements do not apply universally, depending on the specific case. The new accelerator utilizes high-energy beams to target tumors with greater precision, enabling fewer, larger daily doses. São Paulo state and the University of São Paulo operate Hospital das Clínicas, a major public hospital and teaching institution.
The complex is described as one of the largest in Latin America, though its status has been disputed in the past. Brazil's public health system, SUS, guarantees treatment start within 60 days of diagnosis for malignant tumors, but long waiting times persist. As of 2025, the health ministry reported 365 radiotherapy accelerators in use for the SUS, with 200 being private.
In addition to the InRad purchase, São Paulo state announced the delivery of a linear accelerator for Hospital Santa Marcelina in June 2026, along with five new high-technology machines in April 2026.
Written by urgent.news from The Rio Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
