Introducing STELLA

Shoot for the Stars and you may just find a Radiotherapy Facility

By Amedeo Habsburg


In 2020, of the 19.3 million new cancer cases diagnosed worldwide, nearly 70% of cancer deaths occurred in Low-Middle Income Countries (LMICs) (Data source: GLOBOSCAN 2020). One of the technologies which can greatly reduce this number is radiotherapy LINACs (RT). Unfortunately, in LMICs they are few and far between. The new CERN Smart Technologies to Extend Lives with Linear Accelerators (STELLA) program aims to allow greater accessibility to this life saving technology. At the start of this summer, STELLA had its kickoff meeting, marking its first steps towards improving the world as we know it.

Figure 1: Number of Radiotherapy Machines per Million People

Source: The IAEA Directory of Radiotherapy Centres (DIRAC), https:/dirac.iaea.org/ (accessed on 07/2024)

As global cancer cases are forecast to grow to 27.5 million per year by 2040, access to radiotherapy is essential in saving as many people as possible. In regions such as Africa, however, radiotherapy is scarce with only 420 RTs for 1.4 Billion people, compared to the USA’s 3879 for 340 Million people (ICEC 2023).

CERN’s STELLA team and the International Cancer Expert Corps (ICEC), along with several renowned UK institutions, have teamed up to solve this problem. They face many challenges such as:

  • Infrastructure and maintenance in rural areas
  • High financial and competitive barriers
  • Shortages in workforce training
  • Technological complexity of the LINACs

The challenges are sizeable. However, the will of the STELLA team is greater. The programs multi-day kickoff meeting, hosted by Manjit Dosanjh, (STELLA Project Leader), showcased how STELLA aims to tackle these challenges through a multi-asset approach.

STELLA will work towards creating more accessible radiotherapy through:

  1. New LINAC Prototype: Using CERN accelerator expertise a new LINAC will be created that is more robust, modular and easier to maintain and operate than current systems.
  2. Software Integrated Platform: Leveraging machine learning and AI, STELLA will integrate software that accurately predicts faults, streamlines maintenance and provides physicians with a helping hand.
  3. Training and Servicing: STELLA will create solutions in training and servicing for local expertise to grow and for the downtimes of RT facilities to be greatly reduced.

STELLA’s vision is ambitious yet critical: to expand access to high-quality, low-cost cancer treatment across the globe, particularly in regions where it is needed most.

The design stage for the program is now underway, which leaves time to dream about what this inspirational program can become. For more information, check out the CERN Courier’s article: https://cerncourier.com/a/how-to-democratise-radiation-therapy/