Status of medical electron linear accelerator for cancer treatment in Iran

Medical electronlinear accelerators are the most practical radiotherapy facilities in cancer treatment. About 52 percent of patients are treated by these radiotherapy systems during their treatment process. However, in developing countries there are not enough systems and recent studies reported the shortage of 5000 megavoltage radiotherapy accelerators all over the world. According to international standards, there is a need of one medical linac for 180000 patients. In Iran, cancer is the third cause of death after cardiovascular diseases and accidents. This study indicates the number and status of medical electron accelerators in radiotherapy centers in Iran.