Recognising World Radiotherapy Awareness Day 2026

Turning Innovation into Access: Radiotherapy’s next challenge

By Mark Middleton OAM, Group CEO, Icon Group 

Last year, on the inaugural World Radiotherapy Awareness Day, I reflected on how far radiotherapy has come. 

Over the past decade, advances in imaging, treatment planning, artificial intelligence and precision delivery have transformed radiotherapy into one of the most targeted and personalised treatments in modern medicine. Patients can now benefit from more precise care, fewer side effects and, in some cases, shorter courses of treatment. 

Yet despite this progress, one challenge remains: ensuring more people can access these advances, regardless of where they live. 

Radiotherapy is recommended for 50-70% of people diagnosed with cancer, yet millions around the world struggle to access the treatment they need. As demand for cancer care continues to rise, improving access to radiotherapy has never been more important. 

One Voice for Radiotherapy

World Radiotherapy Awareness Day aims to raise awareness of radiotherapy’s role in cancer care, advocate for greater access, and recognise the skilled workforce behind every treatment delivered.  

Just as importantly, we continue to invest in the expertise of our people, whose skill, experience and commitment ensure these innovations translate into better outcomes for patients. 

Our focus is simple: ensuring more people can access the very best cancer care. 

Expanding access, not just infrastructure

Over the past 12 months, we have continued to grow our global cancer care network across Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, the United Kingdom and Germany. But growth is not an end in itself. 

Every new centre, partnership and service has the same purpose – helping more patients access high-quality cancer care closer to home.  

In ASEAN, we recently marked ten years of delivering cancer care in the region. During that decade, we have demonstrated that clinical excellence can scale beyond borders while maintaining the standards patients deserve.  

In the United Kingdom, we are reopening vital cancer care infrastructure and working in partnership to bring integrated cancer services to communities of need, while our entry into Germany through our partnership with Evidia is creating opportunities to connect clinicians into an established global radiotherapy network. 

Innovation that reaches more patients

Technology only changes lives when it reaches patients. 

A connected future for radiotherapy

The future of radiotherapy will not be defined by a single technology, centre or country. 

It will be defined by our ability to connect expertise, research, innovation and people across borders. Strong clinical networks help knowledge move faster, enable earlier adoption of new treatments and ensure more patients benefit from the collective experience of the global oncology community.  

This World Radiotherapy Awareness Day, let’s continue the conversation beyond what radiotherapy can achieve and focus on who it can reach. Because every patient, no matter where they live, deserves access to world-class cancer care and the opportunities that modern radiotherapy can provide. 

Learn more about World Radiotherapy Awareness Day and join the global movement behind one voice for radiotherapy, visit World Radiotherapy Awareness Day.