Today, 28th February 2019, Icon Group (Icon) officially signed a milestone agreement with China’s Sanbo Brain Hospital Management Group (Sanbo) to deliver radiation oncology services. These services are set to open later this year in their Chang’an hospital in Chongqing.

Sanbo is a group of Chinese hospitals internationally recognised for delivering specialist neurological services, including treatments for brain cancer. The agreement will see Icon operate the Chang’an Chongqing centre, with the site already in initial stages of development.

Icon will manage the facility in partnership with Sanbo, embedding a blend of international expertise to deliver a high-quality approach to cancer care. The centre will have the capacity to treat 900 patients annually.

Sanbo General Manager, Mr Yang Zhang said this partnership will benefit cancer patients across China.

“The collaboration with Icon Group will increase Sanbo’s capacity in radiation therapy and chemotherapy, improve comprehensive cancer treatment, and provide an exceptional service to patients,” Mr Zhang said.

“Cancer incidence in China alone are expected to increase by 70% by 2025, we are dedicated to helping reduce that burden. Icon is the first Australian healthcare company to export Australian cancer expertise into China, further providing training and education for local clinicians and staff and helping China deliver the best possible care to their people,” Icon Group CEO, Mark Middleton said.

The cornerstone of this relationship is the exportation of Australian radiation therapy expertise, including remote radiation therapy planning. Icon’s centralised remote planning function, performed by a specialist, highly-skilled workforce of radiation therapists, uses advanced software systems to create individual, high-quality radiation therapy treatment plans for patients no matter where they are in the world.

“To be able to provide this expertise is a game changer and will further complement the services we will be delivering on-the-ground in China,” Mr Middleton said.

This centre is the first of many expected to be announced by Icon, with further agreements in various stages of completion. This announcement is another step forward in Icon’s growth into Asia and the realisation of making a difference to the millions of cancer patients in the region.