MDHB News

About Radiation Oncology

At the Regional Cancer Treatment Service we pride ourselves in providing the very best in cancer care. Our team of highly qualified staff are here to assist you in your cancer therapy journey and to make it as easy and comfortable for you as possible.

Radiation Oncology Entrance

Our Service

Facility

RCTS Radiation Oncology has a dedicated CT scanner within the department and access to diagnostic MRI and PET scanning services to assist with treatment planning. The centre operates four Linear Accelerators (treatment machines), a superficial treatment machine and an extensive image guidance system. The service has a well-established electronic medical records system and an extensive quality assurance program.

Technology

RCTS Radiation Oncology is at the forefront of cancer treatment through “state of the art” technology and experience.

The service was the first department in New Zealand to use Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) and now has an established program with seven years experience. RCTS Radiation Oncology is New Zealand’s only centre to be ‘MD Anderson Accredited’ in IMRT.

RCTS Radiation Oncology also runs New Zealand’s best established 3D Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) program, specialising in IGRT for prostate, head and neck and lung cancer. Image guidance with conebeam imaging ensures accurate delivery of treatments.

With robust implementation of IMRT and IGRT programs, RCTS Radiation Oncology has been recognised as a world-leading facility.

Training and Development

RCTS Radiation Oncology is an International Training centre offering courses in VSIM/IMRT/IGRT.

RCTS Radiation Oncology is a clinical placement centre for students at the University of Otago for both Medicine and Radiation Therapy. Medical physics registrars from the University of Canterbury also have clinical placements within the department.

Contact Radiation Oncology

Main Reception: 06 350 8430
LA1/3 Linac Reception: 06 350 8142
LA4 Reception 06 350 8440

50 Ruahine Street
Private Bag 11036
Palmerston North

The Radiation Oncology Team

The radiation oncology team is made up of a large group of people who work closely together, our team includes:

Oncologists

	Nikolay Nedev Dr Nikolay Nedev completed his Radiation Oncology training at Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa. He joined the RCTS Radiation Oncology Department in 2001. In 2003 Dr Nedev was appointed Medical Head of RCTS Radiation Oncology. His professional interests are in the areas of head and neck and brain malignancies. Dr Nedev services the Hawkes Bay area. He chairs the Head and Neck Cancer regional multidisciplinary meeting. His team of doctors, medical physicists, dosimetrists and radiotherapists developed New Zealand’s first intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) program.
	Claire Hardie Dr Hardie’s clinical oncology registrar training was based at the Royal Marsden Hospital and Nottingham University Hospitals in the UK. She obtained Fellowship of the Royal College of Radiologists (UK) in 2005 and qualified as a Consultant Clinical Oncologist in March 2007. After emigrating to New Zealand with her family Dr Hardie took up her first consultant post in Radiation Oncology in April 2007 at RCTS, Palmerston North Hospital. She services the Horowhenua and Taranaki regions. Dr Hardie is Chair of the Palmerston North Multidisciplinary Breast Cancer Meeting and a member of the Lung Cancer Steering Group for the Central Cancer Network.
	Johan Nel Dr Johan Nel qualified as a Radiation Oncologist in 1991 at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. He worked in both the public and private sectors in South Africa before immigrating to New Zealand. He has been working in Palmerston North since January 2003. His professional interests are breast, prostate and skin cancer as well as palliative care and psycho-oncology.
	Donald Chan Dr Donald Chan completed his medical degree in 1989 at the University of Auckland. His clinical oncology registrar training was based at both Palmerston North and Auckland City Hospital. Dr Chan joined the team at the Regional Cancer Treatment Service as a Radiation Oncologist in 2001. His professional interests are in Urological malignancies and Brachytherapy treatment. Dr Chan is chair of the Palmerston North Uro-Oncology Multidisciplinary Meeting, director of training for the radiation oncology registrars, and is an executive of The New Zealand Association of Cancer Specialists.
	Michael Carr