Rosatom offers its novel cancer treatment solution to Belarus

MINSK, 15 December (BelTA) – Director of OOO Rusatom Bel (Rosatom's country office in Belarus) Stanislav Levitsky told reporters at the BelTA press center what cancer treatment solutions Russia offers to Belarus.

On the sidelines of the international forum Atomexpo in Sochi, a cooperation agreement was signed between Rusatom Healthcare (the Rosatom division that accumulates expertise in the field of healthcare) and Belarus' Medtechnocenter. The document formalized plans to supply medical equipment manufactured in the Russian Federation to Belarus. According to Stanislav Levitsky, the first commercial contract for the supply of a brachytherapy complex is already being negotiated. The Brachium complex is designed for radiation therapy of cancer of pelvic organs, breast, esophagus, nasopharynx and oral cavity. Brachytherapy can deliver large amounts of radiation that reduce or destroy tumors, while sparing healthy surrounding tissue.

Stanislav Levitsky emphasized that Brachium is a completely Russian development. “Its price does not depend on the exchange rate volatility. In addition, given the current logistics problems, it is of particular importance to have guaranteed supply of ionizing radiation sources. We are ready to provide the brachytherapy complex as part of a life cycle contract: the device itself and radioactive sources used for brachytherapy, he noted.

Stanislav Levitsky did not specify when the complex will be supplied. He explained that the delivery of such complex equipment with an isotopic component and sources of ionizing radiation must be carefully prepared in advance and agreed on by regulatory authorities. "Deliveries will be organized in accordance with the Belarusian legislation on procurement. We will teach oncologists to use this equipment. We will invite our colleagues to get them acquainted with the devices already in use. Then we will participate in tenders. This is the first option. There is the second option. We want to offer Belarus a comprehensive program for re-equipping cancer centers with brachytherapy equipment. Upon studying the needs of Belarus for the next five-seven or even ten years, we are ready to make a competitive price offer. We are ready to offer financial resources for a large program. But for the time being this is only an idea," he said.

"There are also prospects for the implementation of cancer center projects based on linear accelerators in Belarus. There is a development that has already been registered in the Russian Federation. This is a linear accelerator Onyx. This is a medical product of targeted radiation. Onyx will be submitted for registration in Belarus. I hope that next year, together with Medtechnocenter, the project will gain traction and we will start deliveries by the end of the year," Stanislav Levitsky added.

Head of the production and technical department at Medtechnocenter Aleksei Kaminsky noted that the topic of nuclear medicine is especially relevant for Belarus after the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. "Equipment for cancer treatment is very much needed. There are not many manufacturers of such equipment in the world. Among them is Rusatom Healthcare. The steps undertaken by the unfriendly countries towards Belarus and Russia gave impetus to closer cooperation. I am sure that by joint efforts we will be able to fill this niche. In terms of specifications, Russian equipment is not inferior to foreign analogues, and in some ways is even better. The state corporation has many years of experience in this area," he said.