John Frasier was one of the first patients to sign-up for TROG’s SPARK trial at Westmead Hospital. This trial investigates the use of new technology to improve the accuracy of radiation therapy for prostate cancer patients reducing treatment from forty visits to just five.

Diagnosed with prostate cancer, John said the reduced number of hospital visits during treatment was a key attraction.

“I had cancer in my lymph nodes about 15 years ago (and was cured) but I had to have radiation therapy, so I knew about the treatment and what was involved,” he said.

“When I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, I asked to see a radiation oncologist to discuss non-invasive options – they put me onto SPARK.

“I really like the high-tech nature of this treatment; it’s fantastic to be involved in something where constant study is happening, which will hopefully lead to improvements in the field.”

The trial uses an Australian-developed technology called Kilovoltage Intrafraction Monitoring (KIM) to assess the position of the cancer in real-time, enabling the treatment team to redirect the radiation beam if the cancer moves – even by just a few millimetres.