CANCER CARE REVOLUTION; Mersey hospital leads way.

Byline: by CAROLINE INNES Health Reporter

A CANCER hospital is curing patients, reducing treatment times and cutting waiting lists thanks to a revolutionary new treatment.

Clatterbridge centre for oncology is the first in the UK to offer patients the new RapidArc treatment using a machine called a linear accelerator to send powerful X-rays through tumours.

Medics can now deliver advanced image-guided, Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) treatments in less than two minutes - eight times faster than existing technology.

They say it means patients will have to spend a lot less time lying on treatment tables to receive radiation therapy.

Angela Heaton, research radiographer at the Wirral centre, said: "A traditional head and neck IMRT treatment can take anywhere up to 45 minutes.

"But this new technology will mean some of those treatment times can be reduced to as little as 25 minutes.

"Simple prostate IMRT treatment delivery will be reduced from 10 to two minutes.

"Rapid Arc is a major advance in radiotherapy technology which will change the way radiation therapy is planned and delivered for selected patients. The benefit to patients will be significant."

Because RapidArc is more precise and delivers treatments faster, consultants can now also deal with more patients.

Brian Haylock, clinical director at Clatterbridge, said: "As the first UK centre to invest in this technique, we hope to lead the way and provide help and training to other cancer facilities."

Grandfather-of-six Graham McCormack, of Warrington, was the first patient in the UK to be treated using the technique.

He said: "This is my second week into a six-week treatment regime and so far, so good."

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