The public system in Buenos Aires is about to take a decisive step in the treatment of oncology: Maria Curie Oncology Hospital In the coming days, the installation of an advanced linear accelerator will be completed, which is a device capable of releasing radiation with millimeter precision, which until now was only available in some private centers or in public institutions in other governorates. Technology will allow Oncology treatment Solid materials with much greater precision and significantly reduce the impact on healthy tissue, a change that redefines the standard of general radiotherapy in Buenos Aires.
from City Ministry of Health They highlight that it is an unprecedented merger. “he Marie Curie Cancer Hospital They reported that they had “integrated the first advanced linear accelerator into the city’s public health system,” and stressed that the team could adapt the radiation beams to the shape of the tumor to maximize the destruction of malignant cells without compromising healthy structures.
The arrival of the linear accelerator — or Linacas specialists call it, marks the completion of a project that has been in the works for more than twenty years.
As for the health portfolio, “it is the first and only team with its characteristics in the public sector” and will mark a milestone in the field of pre- and post-oncology care. They added that the hospital staff has been trained in new treatment methods and enhanced quality standards, which will allow the device to continue operating in accordance with modern safety and effectiveness standards.
The Linac will replace the cobalt bomb, a historical device but with major limitations. While traditional techniques scatter the energy as broad, difficult-to-control light, a linear accelerator generates a highly focused beam, comparable to the precision of a laser. This difference completely changes the therapeutic range: it allows higher doses to be administered without increasing toxicity and reduces collateral damage, an aspect of particular importance in lung, head and neck, prostate and brain tumors.
The cost of this upgrade exceeded $4 million, and included three essential components: a specially designed shielded chamber to house the equipment, the linear accelerator itself, and a planning CT scan that allows determining exactly which area of the body should receive radiation. The city highlights that the device received by Maria Curie is among the most advanced in Argentina, compared to those of leading private institutions such as German Hospital or Fleming Institute.
To measure the technological leap, private sector insight is key. Modern linear accelerators have changed the way treatments are planned and performed today, explains Carmen Castro, head of the radiotherapy service at Aleman Hospital. He notes that these devices “allow for highly targeted radiation therapy, which is adjusted to suit the characteristics of each patient, with more effective and safer results.”
Obviously, the latest generation of equipment integrates images in real time to adjust treatment daily and correct tumor displacement or anatomical variations. He explains that AI-assisted planning allows for unprecedented accuracy and reduces the impact on daily life, because the procedures are shorter and less intrusive.
From the field of clinical oncology, the view is equally strong. Diego Cain, former president of the Argentine Society of Clinical Oncology, asserts that linear accelerators represent “the maximum amount of technology available in the country” and that their accuracy reaches the point of working “with the sensitivity of the tip of a pin.” He explains that this level of precision enables techniques such as radiosurgery, which delivers very high doses in a few sessions with a direct impact on the effectiveness of the treatment. “The more precise you are in treating the tumor, the fewer side effects you’ll have and the more effective you’ll be,” Cain says, describing a trend in modern oncology: more focused radiation therapy, more specific targeted therapies, and precise robotic surgeries.
Symbolic and practical value
Cain also highlights the symbolic and practical value of Maria Curie, a nearly century-old municipal hospital that has trained generations of oncologists, and access to this technology. “It is a great joy for the medical team, for the patients and for society,” he points out, highlighting that the modernization not only improves diagnosis, but also makes it easier to access. He explains that receiving treatment in the same institution, without long transfers or transfers, improves the patient’s quality of life and encourages close follow-up with his usual team, factors that also influence the results.
The epidemiological context reinforces the need for this integration. In recent years, oncology consultations have increased in people under 50, a phenomenon that hospital specialists link to changes in habits, a sedentary lifestyle, chronic stress, and diet.
The institution routinely treats the most common tumors in the Argentine health system: breast, cervical, prostate and colorectal. The fifth position is based on the reference population. In some areas, lung cancer is prevalent. In other cases, stomach tumors. With the new technology, the hospital will be able to provide more precise treatments in all of these cases, including cases where every millimeter matters.
According to what was confirmed by health sources, the linear accelerator will begin operating in the coming weeks and will begin use before the end of this month.