Radiumhemmet

Radiumhemmet is a non-surgical cancer treatment and radiotherapy research institution in Solna, Sweden. Since 1938, it has been a division of what is now the Karolinska University Hospital. It was founded in 1910 in central as the first oncological clinic in Sweden, succeeding a radium research and treatment institution at the Serafimerlasarett founded in 1906, and played a major role in the development of radiotherapy, especially in gynaecological cancers.

The Serafimerlasarett set up a radium diagnosis laboratory in 1903. In 1906 it was transferred from the medical department to the surgical department, whose chief, John Berg (), appointed as its director Gösta Forssell, who had been researching radiotherapy. In 1910, this was succeeded by Radiumhemmet, which was established by charitable gifts as an independent institution for radium and X-ray therapy under Svenska Cancerforeningen, the Swedish Cancer Society. It was housed in an 8-room rented flat at 10 Scheelegatan on Kungsholmen, and had sixteen beds and one X-ray therapy unit. The name, which means "Radium Home", was chosen to reassure patients. After promising results in gynaecological patients, the Stockholm Municipality provided funds for its expansion, with Queen Victoria matching them. Numbers of patients climbed steadily, from 342 to 742 between 1911 and 1914. Forssell hired as associates Elis Berven () and James Heyman (), and in 1916 the clinic moved to a building at 23 Fjällgatan, doubling the number of beds and increasing the number of X-ray units. At Forssell's request, the Swedish government promised patients free transportation from anywhere in Sweden; this is still in effect. In 1917 a separate gynaecological division was created with Heyman as its director, and Berven became head of the general clinic. In 1924 research divisions for tumour pathology and radiophysics were created.

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