A cancer patient has become the first in the world to undergo radiation treatment in Leeds harnessing a new breakthrough in technology to target hard-to-reach cancers.
Staff at St James’s Hospital carried out the treatment employing a new device to directly target lung cancer in tandem with another cutting-edge technique called stereotactic radiotherapy which they used for the first time earlier this year.
The approach provides more precise treatment in larger doses over a shorter time and is now being extended to help patients with cancers which are difficult or impossible to treat using conventional surgery.
The first patient was retired joiner and shopfitter Richard Berry, 72, of Eccleshill, Bradford, who only discovered he had cancer a month ago after collapsing suddenly at home.
“I was very surprised to hear I was the first patient to undergo this process,” he said.
“I didn’t relish the prospect of surgery and this treatment has allowed me to carry on with life much as normal and I have felt fine throughout the process.”
Alan Needham, lead radiotherapy radiographer for research and development at St James’s, said the device enhanced the way radiotherapy treatment beams could be targeted to match the precise shape of a cancer.
Combined with the latest therapy technique where a therapy beam is continuously reshaped as it rotates about the patient, standard and quality of radiotherapy delivery could be significantly raised.
“We are delighted to have been able to undertake the first treatment using the device to target early stage lung cancer and are continuing to develop its potential and expect to expand its use to include other cancers over the next year,” he said.
The centre in Leeds has the necessary equipment to carry out the hi-tech treatment thanks to the Yorkshire Cancer Centre Appeal, which funded two research linear accelerators which deliver radiotherapy to develop improved treatments for patients from across the region.
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