ICON Cancer Centre Midland has doubled its radiotherapy treatment capacity with the opening of a second state-of-the-art Varian TrueBeam linear accelerator (linac) on February 4.

This expansion will reduce radiotherapy wait times for cancer patients in and around Midland and support hundreds more people each year across the City of Swan and surrounding communities to access cancer treatment closer to home.

As reported in East metro radiation oncology petition gains traction, the eastern corridor of Midland and Swan Hills are still in need of a partnership that would allow cancer patients to access more affordable cancer care.

In that report, Guildford resident Bob Langlands said he had to pay about $4000 out of pocket for his cancer treatment, highlighting the prohibitive costs under the current private model.

Icon Cancer Centre WA state manager Colin La Galia said Icon remained committed working collaboratively with government, public health services and community partners to improve access to affordable cancer care.

“Public–private partnerships play an important role in expanding capacity, reducing pressure on the public system and improving patient choice,” he said.

“We continue to explore opportunities that support equitable access to high-quality cancer treatment, particularly in growing and underserved communities.”

The machine has cutting-edge radiotherapy capabilities, including stereotactic radiation therapy for all tumour types, tattooless radiation therapy for breast cancer patients and HyperArc technology, enabling highly targeted treatment of brain tumours.

These technologies enable more targeted, non-invasive treatment options and can reduce the need for longer treatment courses.

Mr La Galia said the centre’s investment in a second linac machine was a major step forward for cancer care in the eastern corridor.

“It means more local families can access advanced cancer treatment close to home, when it matters most,” he said.

“The second linac has effectively doubled treatment capacity at the centre, enabling us to deliver more than 9000 additional treatments each year.

“This has a direct impact on reducing wait times, improving appointment availability, and allowing patients to commence treatment sooner.

“It also supports more advanced treatment techniques.”

The new linac has been named Jull, after the late renowned WA medical practitioner Roberta Jull as a way to honour her legacy of breaking barriers and improving health outcomes in the state.

Dr Jull was the first woman to establish a medical practice in Perth, driven by her determination to improve health conditions for patients.

Mount Helena resident Lesley-Anne Byrne was one of the first patients to be treated on the new linac.

The 37-year-old was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer in December 2024, while 35-weeks pregnant.

“I was diagnosed just before Christmas and gave birth to my second daughter two days later,” said Ms Byrne.

“When they told me of my cancer diagnosis, there were so many doctors in the room talking about different treatment options – I was terrified.”

Ms Byrne was given just three weeks to recover from a caesarean section birth before commencing chemotherapy in January last year.

In October, she underwent radiotherapy on the new linac at Icon Midland.

“It’s great to have access to the best of (cancer care) technology so close to home,” said Ms Byrne.

Icon Midland also implemented RapidArc Dynamic technology in 2025, an advanced treatment technique that reduces the time between consultation and therapy and minimises radiation exposure and potential side effects for patients.

Icon is the first in the southern hemisphere and only the third worldwide to clinically treat with RapidArc.

“Our investment in technology reflects Icon’s dedication to ensuring more Western Australians can access high-quality, comprehensive cancer treatment when and where they need it,” said Mr La Galia.

“We continue to grow our team, footprint and services to meet the demand of our patients in Midland, Swan Hills and surrounding areas.”

Midland MLA Steve Catania opened the linac machine on World Cancer Day, shared his story and thanked the Midland cancer centre team for their dedication.

“In May last year, my daughter was diagnosed with a rare form of leukaemia, so we’ve been undertaking treatment for the last eight months,” he said.

“Our oncologist gave the final bone marrow test this morning to see whether the treatment was finalised and she’s now fully in remission.

“So today is a particularly special day for my family and through that journey, we understand the work that you do.

“You are saving lives so you should be supported at every turn and thank you for everything you do.”