Alberta expands access to cancer treatment with Calgary radiopharmaceutical facility
As cancer treatments advance, the ability to create radioisotopes is being expanded to Calgary — reducing transport barriers and bringing life-saving care closer to patients.
Construction is underway on a radiopharmaceutical centre and cyclotron in Calgary to improve access to cancer treatments for patients in southern Alberta. Cyclotrons produce radioactive material used in medical treatments, ranging from diagnostic imaging to cancer therapies. Jan Andersson, director of the Edmonton Radiopharmaceuticals Centre, explained that the current two cyclotrons in Edmonton produce radiopharmaceuticals for medical use, but they lose a significant amount due to the short half-lives of the radioisotopes.
The new facility in Calgary, adjacent to the Tom Baker Cancer Centre, will house a third cyclotron, allowing for more treatments across southern Alberta. Dr. Stella Koumna, a nuclear medicine specialist, highlighted that this type of treatment allows for precise oncology approaches, minimizing side effects and improving patient tolerance.
Ron Ohlmann, a prostate cancer patient, has benefited from this approach, with his prostate-specific antigen count returning to normal for the first time in six years. The Alberta Cancer Foundation and the Government of Alberta have committed $6 million to fund the clinical trial and bring the treatment to Edmonton, with the goal of expanding access to more patients throughout the province.
The completion date for the Calgary facility remains uncertain, but the project is expected to progress in the coming weeks.
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