Okan University Hospital to Treat Cancer with Elekta Radiation Therapy Equipment

New Turkish medical school acquires Elekta Versa HD and Synergy linear accelerators

ISTANBUL, April 14, 2016 /CNW/ - Okan University in Istanbul has recently signed an agreement to acquire Versa HD™ and Elekta Synergy^® linear accelerators (linacs). The equipment will be used in the new, 250-bed teaching hospital, scheduled to open in September.

"According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the risk of a Turkish citizen getting cancer before 75-years of age is over 20 percent," says Francois Pointurier, Senior Vice President, Region Europe & AFLAME at Elekta. "Both Okan University and Elekta share the same vision to provide the best treatment available to prevent this number from rising. Indeed, I expect that Okan University Hospital's use of Elekta's cancer treatment solutions, will improve, prolong or even save patients' lives."

As the third Versa HD site in Istanbul, Pointurier says he anticipates Okan University Hospital's site visiting facilities to strengthen radiation therapy education in the country.

Okan Healthcare General Manager, Assistant Professor Alper Demirarslan, MD, from Okan University, says: "Okan University Hospital prides itself on offering the latest technology in medical diagnostic devices. To maintain our reputation, we selected Elekta Versa HD on the radiotherapy side. Elekta has a lot of advantages over competing systems, however I do not believe that these are very well known in the Turkish medical market. Now, through this collaboration, hundreds of doctors and residents will have the chance to work with Elekta equipment and realize its benefits."

Since Elekta acquired Mesi Medikal A.S., a leading distributor of radiation oncology solutions in Turkey, two years ago, private health care centers, such as Okan University Hospital, are now choosing Elekta as their radiation therapy partner. Prior to this, the majority of Elekta's installed base was in public hospitals.

About Elekta 

Elekta is a human care company pioneering significant innovations and clinical solutions for treating cancer and brain disorders. The company develops sophisticated, state-of-the-art tools and treatment planning systems for radiation therapy, radiosurgery and brachytherapy, as well as workflow enhancing software systems across the spectrum of cancer care. Stretching the boundaries of science and technology, providing intelligent and resource-efficient solutions that offer confidence to both health care providers and patients, Elekta aims to improve, prolong and even save patient lives.

Today, Elekta solutions in oncology and neurosurgery are used in over 6,000 hospitals worldwide. Elekta employs around 3,800 employees globally. The corporate headquarters is located in Stockholm, Sweden, and the company is listed on NASDAQ Stockholm. Website: http://www.elekta.com.

SOURCE Elekta

Gert van Santen, Group Vice President Corporate Communications, Elekta AB, Tel: [phone], e-mail: [email protected], Time zone: CET: Central European Time; Raven Canzeri, Global Public Relations Manager, Elekta, Tel: [phone], e-mail: [email protected], Time zone: ET: Eastern Time