New radiation oncology service comes to St John of God Subiaco Hospital

19 Jun 2025

Icon Cancer Centre WA State Manager Colin La Galia and St John of God Subiaco Hospital CEO Tina Chinery.

The Icon facility will stand adjacent the hospital’s Bendat Family Comprehensive Cancer Centre, where the majority of the hospital’s cancer services are delivered, and will be equipped with latest innovations and technologies specific to radiation oncology. 

Each year, more than 13,000 Western Australians are diagnosed with cancer, with approximately 50 per cent requiring radiation therapy as part of their treatment plan.

St John of God Subiaco Hospital CEO Tina Chinery said Icon Cancer Centre’s presence onsite would significantly benefit the community and support the hospital’s commitment to providing comprehensive cancer care and services.

“At present, only select radiation therapies are offered to patients in our hospital’s operating theatres. Patients are therefore generally required to seek radiation treatment at facilities elsewhere, as recommended by their medical specialist,” she said.

“Being able to access radiation therapy onsite will save our patients time and offer them convenience and familiarity during what can be a very unfamiliar experience.

“Most importantly, Icon will equip the facility with the latest innovations, contributing to optimum patient outcomes and reflecting our hospital’s focus on excellence and delivering the highest standard of safe clinical care.”

Icon’s new radiation oncology suite will include the Varian TrueBeam linear accelerator, for more precise treatment. It will also include stereotactic radiation therapy, an advanced technique used to treat well-defined tumours or high-risk postoperative areas, and HyperArc technology for patients with secondary brain tumours. This technology reduces the impact of side effects compared to traditional radiation to the brain, including headaches and hair loss.

Breast cancer patients will have access to tattoo-less radiation therapy through Varian’s IDENTIFY surface guidance system. Traditional radiation therapy for breast cancer requires patients to receive small but permanent tattoos on their chest to help the radiation therapist position the patient correctly and deliver treatment to the right location. 

The IDENTIFY surface guidance system eliminates the need for tattoos by using advanced technology to monitor a patient’s position during treatment, while tracking their breathing movements.

Icon Cancer Centre Australia and New Zealand CEO Paul Fenton said the group was proud to partner with St John of God Health Care to provide radiation therapy services at St John of God Subiaco Hospital.

“A cancer diagnosis is an incredibly challenging time for patients and their loved ones. We know this service will help to ease the burden by providing people more onsite treatment options and reducing treatment times,” he said.

“By offering advancements in integrated cancer care infrastructure, we will be positioned to support cancer patients to access world-class cancer care by an experienced team in the one convenient location.” 

The new radiation therapy facility will be Icon’s third centre in Western Australia, alongside Icon Cancer Centre Rockingham and Midland. Construction at St John of God Subiaco Hospital is anticipated to commence during 2025.

St John of God Subiaco Hospital Oncology Head of Department Dr Andrew Dean added that the hospital currently provides rapid access to cancer diagnosis and treatment, plus all the services and support patients require onsite, with the exception of radiation therapy.

“Icon Cancer Centre’s presence will add to the breadth of our service, ensuring we offer all cancer patients complete and even more efficient cancer care,” he said.

“In addition to treatment options such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, cancer-related surgery, and soon radiotherapy, our patients have access to a large range of complementary services such as allied health support, pain management and pastoral care.

“Many patients also benefit from our comprehensive program of life-changing research.”

“In the last two years alone, our research team members conducted 54 projects specific to oncology, cementing St John of God Subiaco Hospital’s position as one of the most active private cancer research institutes worldwide, and a provider of the latest cancer care and treatments available.”