Construction works have officially begun on a new Oncology and Stereotactic Radiosurgery Centre on the grounds of the “Bagdasar-Arseni” Clinical Emergency Hospital in Bucharest, with the project estimated at approximately 100 million euros.

Speaking at a press conference on July 3, Health Minister Alexandru Rogobete said that this would be the most advanced oncology and radiotherapy centre in Romania, and that the construction is expected to take three years.

The unit will be equipped with the CyberKnife stereotactic radiosurgery system, unique in Southeastern Europe – which allows for extremely precise non-invasive treatments, including for tumors located in mobile organs such as the lung or prostate. 

Dr. Fery Stoica, coordinator of the high-energy Gamma Knife therapy lab, underscored that when the lab first opened 20 years ago, it was only equipped to treat brain pathologies, but with the introduction of the CyberKnife technology, the facility will be able to treat both malignant and benign conditions not only of the brain but also of the spinal cord and other organs.

He explained that the CyberKnife is fully robotic and uses X-rays that are constantly monitored by a CT-type system.

“Twenty years ago, this hospital opened a centre of excellence in neurosurgery featuring the only Gamma Knife unit in South-Eastern Europe. Today, we are making a new leap forward, and once again, we will be the only ones in South-Eastern Europe to have this radiotherapy system,” said Florin Bica, spokesperson for the “Bagdasar-Arseni” Clinical Emergency Hospital.

He added that the new building will have a 2,000-square-metre footprint and a total built area of 10,000 square metres, significantly raising the hospital’s standard of care. The hospital’s rehabilitation ward will also be relocated to the new facility, offering improved care for patients with neuromotor sequelae.