Scientists at CERN claim to have developed a ‘revolutionary’ new radiotherapy machine that can destroy the most aggressive tumours with its intense beam without harming the healthy tissue.
The "miniaturised" machine created at the The European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN)’s physics laboratory in Switzerland, allows more patients to have aggressive anticancer treatment without harmful side-effects.
The machine could prove instrumental in cancer-fighting technology as it is more targeted, smaller and more cost effective, the ‘Daily Express’ reported.
"This equipment will allow patients to recover faster and doctors to destroy more of the tumour so survival rates are much better. This exciting opportunity is a fantastic way to bring this new treatment to more cancer patients," Dr Stephen Myers, the director of technology for medicine at CERN, said.
The new device is a third of the size of existing machines and will also cost less than half the price.
The new technology is designed to treat cancers of the head and neck, spine, brain, lung and breast, the report said.
Already existing techniques can cause devastating side-effects especially in kids, ranging from loss of vision to hearing impairment, it said.
It is claimed the new technology will dramatically reduce the risk of such damage.