title: [Innovation and the next generation radiotherapy system].
abstract: Innovation is the key to future success for Japan that is slowly falling behind. Industries targeted by the "Abenomics" growth strategy include healthcare and medicine. Since cancer is the leading cause of death in Japan, the development of a system that can detect and treat early stage cancers will be very valuable for patient QOL and reducing health care costs. Although the effectiveness of radiation therapy for treating early stage cancer is widely recognized, there has been no system to treat small, moving tumors with sub millimeter accuracy. A project supported by NEDO develops a "Next-Generation Radiation Therapy System" that uses high energy, narrow X-rays beams that can be accurately pinpointed deep inside the body. Performance testing of a prototype system is currently underway at the National Center for Global Health and Medicine in Tokyo.
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tanabe
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D062069:Inventions / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011881:Radiotherapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000191:economics / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000639:trends*