The Problem with a Moving Target
Liver cancer is the fastest-growing cause of cancer death in Australia, with approximately 3,000 new diagnoses each year. For patients undergoing radiotherapy, the challenge has always been deceptively simple: the liver moves when you breathe. Current treatment protocols require the surgical implantation of fiducial markers—tiny seeds—directly into the liver to help clinicians locate the tumour as it shifts during respiration. This invasive procedure carries its own risks and side effects.
But a pioneering clinical trial based at the Central Coast Cancer Centre in Gosford is now exploring whether artificial intelligence can eliminate that invasive step entirely.
Real-Time Tracking Without the Scalpel
Led by the University of Sydney’s Image X Institute, the trial is the first of its kind globally to deploy an AI tool that uses X-ray imaging to map and track liver tumours with high precision—without any surgical intervention. The AI system monitors tumour movement in real time, allowing radiation beams to remain locked on target even as the liver rises and falls with each breath.
Dr Ben Zwan, Lead Research Medical Physicist at Central Coast Local Health District, explained the significance: “The liver moves when we breathe and we need to account for this movement during radiation treatment so that the beams of radiation continue to target the tumour”. Early results are described as “very promising,” with the team now working toward a future where the AI could automatically adjust treatment delivery in real time.
Why This Matters Beyond the Coast
This trial is not just a technical achievement—it is a statement about where world-class medical research happens. As Member for Gosford Liesl Tesch noted, “World-class medical research isn’t just happening in capital cities; it’s happening right here on the Central Coast”. The Minns Labor Government invests $5 million annually through the Cancer Institute NSW to strengthen clinical trial sites across the state, ensuring that patients in regional and rural communities can access cutting-edge care.
For patients, the implications are profound: safer treatment, fewer invasive procedures, and the possibility of better outcomes for a cancer that has historically been difficult to treat.
