Australian researchers have developed new affordable technology that could slash the treatment time for thousands of men with prostate cancer.

Key points: Clinical trials underway for new tech that can pinpoint exact position of cancer in real time

Clinical trials underway for new tech that can pinpoint exact position of cancer in real time The software, called KIM, can be installed in any radiotherapy unit

The software, called KIM, can be installed in any radiotherapy unit Hopes new tech will open the door to deliver more accurate treatments to wide range of cancers

Clinical trials are set to begin for the software, called KIM (Kilovoltage Intrafraction Monitoring), which can pinpoint the exact position of the cancer in real time, making the radiotherapy safer and more effective.

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At the moment there is an existing machine that improves accuracy in treatment, but there is only one in Australia and it has the price tag of $5 million.

Jarad Martin, a radiation oncologist at Newcastle's Calvary Mater Hospital in New South Wales and co-chair of the trial, said this new, cheaper software could be installed in any radiotherapy unit.

Associate Professor Martin said the problem in the past had always been that while a patient was undergoing radiotherapy, the prostate could move.

"As soon as we've pushed the 'go' button on the radiotherapy, we're kind of flying blind a little bit," he said.

"And if the prostate moves during treatment, then it can actually get outside of the area we're focusing on, which can be the worst of both worlds in that not only are we missing the tumour, but we're starting to hit healthy tissues and potentially increase the chance of causing side effects."

Associate Professor Martin said by pinpointing the exact location of the cancer, the radiotherapy would be safer and more effective.

"Up until now we've had to have quite large safety margins, to ensure that as the prostate drifts around, we'd still be hitting it with the radiotherapy beam," he said.

"But now that we've got this promising new technology, we're actually able to keep our eyes on the prostate all the way through the treatment.

"And if it moves more than a couple of millimetres in any direction, then we're able to see that happening, push the pause button, and line things up so that we're bang on the money again before we continue on with the treatment.

"So by being much more accurate, it means that we're actually also able to potentially increase the intensity of the radiotherapy a little as well."

'Could open the door to more accurate treatment of a range of cancers'

Steve McCluskey was diagnosed with prostate cancer last year, and he said that at the time he thought his treatment would involve 40 sessions of radiotherapy.

But now, he said that could be reduced to just five.

"I thought it was a no-brainer really. They said, 'We've got this brand new thing, it works perfectly, everything's fine, we just need a couple of people to try it out'," Mr McCluskey said.

"And I said, 'Yep, I'll have a go at that'. I'm a great believer in new technology. I think it's fantastic."

The initial trial of people to undergo treatment using KIM will involve 48 men who were diagnosed early, and Mr McCluskey will be one of them.

Associate Professor Martin said he hoped the new technology would be able to be used soon to treat hundreds of thousands of patients worldwide.

"And our hope as well is that it'll eventually evolve to be [used for] more than just prostate cancer, because it really does potentially open the door to be able to deliver more accurate treatments to a wide range of cancers," he said.