New cancer treatments to be tested in major project
NEW attempts to treat incurable cancers will be tested in Scotland as part of a groundbreaking research programme.
Around 200 patients a year , including some who previously would have received only palliative care, will receive the new treatment which involves using the latest precision radiotherapy.
The Beatson Cancer Charity is investing £850,000, its largest ever single grant, in the project, which it is hoped will improve survival and reduce the side-effects of radiotherapy.
The research will involve targetting the radiation on tumour cells and avoiding healthy tissue as well as combining radiotherapy with the latest drugs to kill cancer cells more effectively.
The money will help bring staff on board to position Glasgow as an internationally recognised centre for radiotherapy research.
Radiotherapy plays a key roll in treating cancers, with experts estimating it is the primary factor in 40 per cent of patients who are cured.
Professor Anthony Chalmers, chairman of clinical oncology at GlasgowUniversity,said:“Radiotherapy has been one of the most effective forms of cancer treatment for many years.
“Today, we have a wide range of innovative equipment and techniques that deliver radiotherapy much more accurately, meaning insomecaseswecangive a higher dose to a tumour, increasing the possibility of cure.
“These are exciting breakthroughs and at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre we are continuing to refine them in our radiotherapy department and in our laboratories. The next criticalstepistotestthemon patients and for that we need financial support to create the Radiotherapy Research Project.”
Chef Andrew Fairlie, who has survived a brain tumour, hosted and sponsored an event at Gleneagles to launch the Radiotherapy Research Project and increase awareness of the need for support.
Mr Fairlie said: “The treatment I received for my brain tumour was outstanding and the services provided by the charity brought enormous comfort to me and my family.
To have world-leading research right here in Scotland, giving patients the very best chance at beating cancer is an amazing opportunity.”