Cancer care today is more advanced, more personalized, and more effective than ever before, and radiation oncology plays a central role in that progress. Nearly two out of every three cancer patients will receive radiation therapy as part of their treatment journey. For many, it is one of the most powerful tools available to cure disease, control symptoms, and improve quality of life.
Atlantic Health Chilton is expanding local treatment capabilities with the installation of Varian’s most advanced linear accelerator platform, the TrueBeam system. Under the direction of Kenneth Blank, MD, a radiation oncologist with experience in both academic and community settings, the mission is simple: to bring world-class cancer treatment close to home, delivered with compassion, expertise, and the very latest technology available anywhere.
This investment reflects a broader commitment to ensuring that patients in our community have access to the same level of precision radiation oncology available at leading academic centers, without the burden of travel.
Not All Linear Accelerators Are the Same
From the outside, linear accelerators may appear similar. Clinically, the differences are significant.
“Linear accelerators are a lot like cars,” Dr. Blank notes. “They come in different models, with different capabilities and features.”
The TrueBeam platform being installed at Atlantic Health Chilton represents a meaningful advancement in image-guided, high-dose rate radiation therapy. It integrates advanced onboard imaging, real-time motion management, and rapid dose delivery into a single system.
For our community, this radiotherapy and radiosurgery platform translates into exceptional flexibility. Breast, prostate, lung, brain, spine, and metastatic disease can now be treated with greater precision and efficiency, using techniques matched to the clinical situation rather than limited by technology.
Imaging That Changes the Workflow
One of the most impactful upgrades TrueBeam brings is its advanced onboard imaging, including HyperSight®.
“In the past, certain tumors required a separate procedure before radiation could begin,” Dr. Blank explains. “An interventional radiologist would place a marker inside the tumor to help us target it accurately.”
With the imaging capabilities built into the TrueBeam platform, that extra step is no longer always necessary. Tumors can often be visualized directly at the time of treatment.
“We can see the tumor itself and target it without the invasive procedure,” he says.
HyperSight® allows clinicians to acquire high-quality images within seconds, with improved soft tissue visualization and reduced imaging dose. This enhances alignment accuracy before each treatment session and increases confidence that radiation is delivered precisely where intended.
For patients, this means fewer appointments and fewer invasive procedures. For referring clinicians, it reduces delays and helps keep care moving efficiently from diagnosis to treatment.
Why Speed Matters More Than It Sounds
Radiation therapy requires daily visits over several weeks. Time on the treatment table becomes especially important for patients dealing with pain, fatigue, or limited mobility.
TrueBeam is capable of delivering dose rates up to 2400 cGy per minute, many times faster than conventional linear accelerators.
“This machine delivers treatment much more efficiently,” Dr. Blank says. “Its dose rate is incredibly fast. Treatments that once took a long time can now be completed in minutes.”
The difference is noticeable. Treatments that once required patients to remain still on the table for up to 45 minutes can now often be completed in five to ten minutes, significantly improving comfort and tolerability.
Shorter treatments improve patient comfort and reduce the likelihood of motion during delivery. In stereotactic procedures, where millimeter-level accuracy is critical, rapid dose delivery enhances stability and reproducibility across fractions.
Advanced Radiosurgery Capabilities
TrueBeam also includes HyperArc™, Varian’s advanced platform for stereotactic radiosurgery and stereotactic body radiation therapy.
These techniques allow highly conformal dose sculpting for selected brain and body tumors, often delivered in one to five treatments. HyperArc supports automated planning approaches that allow multiple targets, such as brain metastases, to be treated efficiently and precisely.
For patients who might previously have traveled to major cancer centers for radiosurgery, this level of care is now available locally within Atlantic Health.
Keeping Care Local Whenever Possible
Travel is a significant burden for patients receiving radiation therapy.
“When you’re coming every weekday for weeks, even a half-hour drive each way becomes exhausting,” Dr. Blank says.
With TrueBeam in place, patients at Atlantic Health Chilton can now receive advanced radiation techniques without leaving the area.
“There’s nothing they should need to travel elsewhere for,” he adds.
For referring providers, this means less disruption to patients’ lives and fewer logistical complications during an already challenging treatment journey.
Referrals and Communication
Radiation oncology is inherently consultative. Most patients arrive after a diagnosis, referred by a medical oncologist, surgeon, dermatologist, or another specialist.
“In radiation oncology, we almost never get direct referrals,” Dr. Blank says. “Patients come to us as part of a larger plan.”
That structure shapes his approach. When he sees a patient, he prioritizes direct communication with the referring physician to review the recommendation and ensure alignment with the overall treatment strategy. Radiation is integrated into the broader plan rather than functioning independently.
Equally important is communication after treatment. When radiation is completed, a detailed note is sent and follow-up discussions occur as needed. “During treatment patients are under my care, but afterward they return to the primary team,” he says.
This closed-loop approach supports continuity and keeps all clinicians aligned throughout the course of care.
What This Means Day to Day
The addition of TrueBeam at Atlantic Health Chilton is not about novelty. It is about capability, efficiency, and collaboration.
For referring providers, the key points are clear:
- Advanced photon therapy, including SRS and SBRT, available locally
- Modern image guidance that may reduce certain pre-treatment procedures
- Faster treatment delivery that enhances patient comfort and accuracy
- Physician-to-physician communication before, during, and after therapy
“At the end of the day,” Dr. Blank says, “my goal is to treat patients the way I’d want a family member treated, using the best technology available and working closely with the physicians who know them best.”
For our community, this investment strengthens Atlantic Health’s commitment to delivering advanced cancer care grounded in precision, access, and partnership.
For more information, see our radiation therapy services, or to make a referral, call us at 973.831.5306.