Auckland Radiation Oncology

21/05/2026

While undergoing a series of five CyberKnife treatments for prostate cancer, Auckland Radiation Oncology patient Alan often thought about a friend receiving traditional radiation therapy overseas at the same time.

“He had to have around 30 treatment sessions for his prostate cancer. It was significantly more difficult,” Alan says.

Prostate cancer patients receiving CyberKnife treatment typically only need five 30-minute treatments, which can be completed over 10 days.

ARO is New Zealand’s only CyberKnife provider, offering treatment at its Epsom clinic, which is conveniently located less than five kilometres from Auckland’s CBD.
You can read Alan’s full story, and learn more about CyberKnife for prostate cancer here: https://aucklandradiationoncology.co.nz/news/alans-story-cyberknife-treatment-for-prostate-canc/

11/05/2026

Today is International Nurses Day – a perfect opportunity to acknowledge the incredible care and impact delivered by our nursing team at Auckland Radiation Oncology.

Like all our teams, our nurses are laser-focused on ensuring every person we treat has the best possible care experience. That dedication shows up regularly in the feedback we receive from patients and their loved ones.

Ngā mihi nui ki a koe. We are so very grateful for you all!

02/05/2026

CyberKnife has transformed how we treat cancer in the brain at Auckland Radiation Oncology. It can precisely target multiple, tiny tumours, sometimes in just a single treatment session, while protecting healthy brain tissue.

There’s no surgery and it continuously adjusts for even the smallest patient movements to maintain pinpoint accuracy.

It's a major step forward – enabling us to treat more tumours, with more precision than conventional radiotherapy.

As the only provider of CyberKnife robotic radiation therapy in the country, we are proud to offer this non-invasive treatment to patients across New Zealand. Learn more about CyberKnife here: https://aucklandradiationoncology.co.nz/treatment-techniques/cyberknife/

29/04/2026

Keeping our team at the forefront of innovation and knowledge in cancer care and radiotherapy is central to how we deliver the best possible care for our patients.

Recently, Auckland Radiation Oncology Radiation Therapist Steph Reddington travelled to Hobart to attend the 2026 Australian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (ASMIRT) Conference – a leading forum for advancements in medical radiation sciences.

This year’s conference focused on resilience, innovation and collaboration across the profession with key themes including trauma and survivorship, mentoring and clinical education, and embracing diversity in healthcare.

For Steph, the experience was both professionally enriching and personally rewarding:

“It was extremely valuable for my professional development. We learned about some of the latest trials and new research within cancer and radiotherapy. I also saw some of the new Elekta radiation treatment machine updates - including the new integrated console and the new couch top.

We heard about the evolving role of Advanced Practitioners within the radiotherapy pathway, and we also heard powerful survivor stories from within our profession. As well as plenty of learning, I had a great time catching up with old colleagues and making some new friends and contacts.”

22/04/2026

Meet Aish, our amazing Clinical Tutor and CT Treatment Trainer – pictured here (centre), with two recent graduates who joined ARO at the beginning of the year, Leila (left) and Manveen (right).

Aish plays a vital role in supporting both our current and future radiation therapy workforce in delivering exceptional patient care.

She works closely with radiation therapy students during their clinical placements, ensuring they gain meaningful, hands-on experience while building confidence in a supportive environment.

She also supports new graduate radiation therapists as they transition into clinical practice, providing guidance, mentorship, and structured onboarding to help them develop safely and effectively.

Alongside this, Aish collaborates with the wider Radiation Therapy team to design and deliver consistent training programmes, helping ensure a robust, standardised approach to competency development, ongoing learning, and patient safety across all levels of practice.

For Aish, the most rewarding part of her role is seeing people grow:
“I like watching people grow – seeing that moment when a student or new graduate starts to believe in themselves and becomes confident in their skills. Knowing I’ve played a small part in that journey is really meaningful to me.”

You can learn more about how ARO is building New Zealand’s future radiation therapy workforce – alongside insights from our graduates on what inspired their careers, why they chose ARO, and how they are developing in a supported environment with leading technology here: https://aucklandradiationoncology.co.nz/news/aro-investing-in-the-next-generation-of-radiation/

Ngā mihi nui ki a koe Aish – we are very lucky to have you on our team!

15/04/2026

“When my doctor suggested CyberKnife® as an option, I grabbed it with both hands.”

When Tom began experiencing symptoms that could be linked to prostate cancer, he acted quickly – a decision that ultimately led him to CyberKnife® treatment at Auckland Radiation Oncology.

After surgery, Tom was referred to discuss his radiotherapy options. He chose CyberKnife®, an advanced robotic radiotherapy that delivers highly targeted treatment with sub-millimetre accuracy – requiring just five short, painless sessions.

Tom’s story highlights not only the importance of acting early, but also the availability of world-leading prostate cancer treatment here in New Zealand. With fewer treatments required than conventional radiotherapy, patients from across the country are choosing to travel to Auckland to access this advanced form of care.

Read Tom’s full story and learn more about CyberKnife® at Auckland Radiation Oncology:

“When my doctor suggested CyberKnife® as an option I grabbed it with both hands,” says Tom Logan – an Auckland Radiation Oncology patient, who recently received treatment for prostate cancer using CyberKnife®.

07/04/2026

We’re proud to be featured in this new video from ASB Bank, highlighting the care we provide at Auckland Radiation Oncology and the impact of advanced cancer treatment for patients across Aotearoa. This includes robotic radiotherapy with CyberKnife and treatment on the latest Elekta Evo linear accelerator, enabling highly precise, image-guided care specifically tailored to each patient.

At ARO, our focus is always on delivering world-class radiotherapy with precision, compassion, and care. From leading-edge technology to the expertise of our multidisciplinary team, every aspect of the care we provide is designed to improve outcomes and quality of life for people facing cancer.

We’re grateful to ASB for taking the time to tell this story and for their support in enabling ARO to provide innovative and exceptional cancer care in New Zealand.

Access to timely, high-quality cancer care is one of New Zealand's biggest healthcare challenges, and innovation is playing a critical role in meeting that n...

30/03/2026

Last week, we were proud to help convene and host the 2026 New Zealand Physics and Engineering in Medicine (NZPEM) conference in Auckland, alongside Auckland City Hospital.

This important annual event brings together medical physicists and engineers from across Aotearoa, providing an opportunity to share the latest research, discuss clinical initiatives, and strengthen collaboration across the profession. It was a privilege for our team to play an active role in facilitating these conversations.

ARO’s Chief Physicist, Ian Hanson, co-convened the event alongside Christine Thompson of Auckland City Hospital.

ARO Principal Physicist, Deirdre Hutton was part of a team with Auckland City Hospital physicists who developed the scientific programme. At the conference, Deirdre presented on software tools currently under development which aim to improve efficiency in the calculation of previous radiation dose to patients undergoing repeat radiation treatment. ARO Senior Physicist, Ronnie Leung presented on a script he developed which incorporates AI to automate treatment planning for radiation therapy.

We were also pleased to welcome Medical Physics Registrars to ARO for a training workshop titled "Motion Management in Radiation Therapy". This was a demonstration given by Ian and Deirdre to show how patient motion and breathing motion is accounted for on CyberKnife and on linear accelerators using Brainlab ExacTrac and Elekta ABC technology – helping ensure radiation is delivered with exceptional precision.

A big thank you to everyone involved in making this event happen. It’s through collaboration like this that we continue to advance cancer care for patients across Aotearoa.

26/03/2026

Three years after introducing CyberKnife at Auckland Radiation Oncology, we’re seeing something very meaningful for patients: it has become the treatment of choice for many across Aotearoa.

“The impact of this technology is truly national,” says ARO CEO Dr Kate McLellan.

“More than one-third of our CyberKnife prostate cancer patients are travelling from outside the greater Auckland region, spanning the full length of the country. Patients are choosing this technology and making the journey because of the clinical precision, reduced treatment burden, and expertise available within our programme.”

As the only provider of CyberKnife robotic radiotherapy in New Zealand, ARO offers sub-millimetre precision in prostate cancer treatment.

This non-invasive alternative to conventional radiotherapy or surgery enables highly targeted dose delivery while protecting surrounding healthy tissue – helping to minimise unwanted side effects.

CyberKnife utilisation continues to grow and is now successfully treating prostate, spine, brain, liver and pancreatic cancers at ARO, expanding access to advanced stereotactic radiotherapy techniques within New Zealand.

“We’re incredibly proud of what this programme has achieved in just three years,” says Dr McLellan. “And we’re even more optimistic about what comes next for patients nationwide.”

20/03/2026

When ARO patient, Ken went for a routine blood test, he didn’t expect it would change the course of his year. The results showed elevated PSA levels, leading to a diagnosis of prostate cancer.

Today, Ken is relieved to share that he’s received the all-clear. Looking back, what surprises him most isn’t just the outcome, but how he feels about the journey.

“ARO's CyberKnife® is very different to traditional radiotherapy in that you need far fewer treatment sessions.”

Before CyberKnife® treatment, Ken needed fiducial markers (small gold seeds) inserted into his prostate. Expecting an overnight hospital stay, he packed a bag, only to find the procedure took just 10 - 15 minutes.

Ken then received five short CyberKnife® sessions over 10 days travelling from Hamilton with his wife and daughter.

What stands out most in Ken’s memory is the personal care he and his family received.

“Every interaction at ARO was positive. They went over and above at every point,” he says.

You can learn more about CyberKnife and how it works here: https://aucklandradiationoncology.co.nz/treat.../cyberknife/

12/03/2026

On Monday, members of our team attended the Institute of Directors ‘Give to Gain’ event, held to mark International Women's Day.

With an impressive line-up of speakers - including Nicola Grigg, Victoria Carter and Gráinne Troute - the session offered valuable insight into what can be gained, both personally and professionally, through board service, philanthropy, mentoring, and championing other women.

For ARO CEO Kate McLellan, the event reinforced something already embedded in ARO’s culture.

“It’s always fantastic to see professional women being celebrated. At ARO, we’re fortunate to have a strong contingent of talented women at all levels of the organisation - from our senior leadership team to our specialists, administrative staff, and care teams.”

A great reminder of the impact that comes from supporting and lifting each other up.

Pictured from left to right: Anna O'Connell, Kate McLellan, Dr Maria Pearse, Rochelle Granshaw