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New cancer therapy set to cut out delay
Breast cancer treatment could be revolutionised by a new procedure that allows women to have radiotherapy while they are still unconscious in the operating theatre after removal of the tumour cancer experts in Italy said yesterday.
The procedure would save women six weeks of return trips to hospital and discomfort and would also reduce the serious waiting list for radiotherapy in the UK.
But the NHS has not yet begun to look at the procedure according to Gordon McVie a senior consultant at the European Institute of Oncology in Milan and former head of Cancer Research UK.
"It is so obviously important to the health service that I think somebody in the Department of Health should take an interest " Professor McVie said yesterday. "There was talk of a UK study but I haven't seen anything yet."
The European institute had very good results from a trial involving 490 women who were randomly assigned either to radiotherapy immediately after surgery or to the normal six weekly visits. Treatment was equally successful in both groups.
The institute in Milan which is Europe's largest cancer centre has now treated 700 patients with the one-off surgery plus radiotherapy.
Women are spared the nausea and tiredness which can be the result of weekly sessions.
The new procedure involves the insertion of a protective plate under the breast tissue once the lump has been removed. A stream of electrons is then directed at the open breast where the tumour had been to kill any remaining malignant cells before breast reconstruction is done.
The shortage of radiotherapists in the UK has led to women having to wait 10 weeks for treatment when the recommended wait is two. "The cost saving for the NHS could be substantial and ease an under-resourced health system " said Prof McVie.
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