Published on 15/08/2011
A pioneering form of
breast cancer radiotherapy technology that can be delivered in a single session, rather than over several weeks, will be available from October at HCA International’s Princess Grace Hospital.
Normally, women with breast cancer receive radiotherapy following surgery to prevent the risk of cancer recurring. This typically takes a course of three to six weeks.
Inter operative radiotherapy (IORT) was developed by Jayant Vaidaya in the late 1990s. IORT can be delivered in a single dose, directly to the breast, immediately after the tumour is removed.
Lancet medical journal published an international clinical trial of IORT that found that IORT has a similar success rate to conventional radiotherapy and with fewer side effects.
The Princess Grace hospital is the first private hospital in the UK to acquire the technology to deliver IORT to breast cancer patients. Currently, patients can only receive it on the NHS if they participate in the clinical trial, but
private medical cover holders will be able to benefit from this technology.
© ActiveQuote Health Ltd. 2011
Categories: Health Insurance,
Medical,
NHS and Hospitals
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