RADIOTHERAPY BOOST FOR PROSTATE CANCER PATIENTS
A NEW radiotherapy for prostate cancer which can halve side effects could soon be rolled out on the NHS after trials at more than 40 hospitals.
Every year, 15,000 men with prostate cancer receive radiotherapy which can cause problems such as incontinence. Many of these will soon undergo a technique which sees the prostate gland first injected with tiny pieces of gold so it will show up on scans.
The radiation beam can then be shaped around organs to just target the tumour.
Evidence shows the new technique permanently removes 60% of tumours and it is expected to be adopted by hospitals.
Martin Ledwick of Cancer Research UK said: “Radiotherapy is a cornerstone of cancer treatment and we’re committed to making it kinder and more effective.”
Every year 47,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer.
PARENTS SHOULD ROLE MODEL EATING VEG AT MEAL TIMES
WATCHING what mum and dad eat is a vital factor in whether children eat their greens, research shows.
A study of 114 primary school children and their families in Finland demonstrated that parents eating fruit and veg during family meal times was crucial. What mothers ate influenced how much raw and cooked veg the child consumed, as well as fruit and berries. Fathers’ diets mainly influenced how much cooked veg the child ate.
Study author Kaisa Kähkönen, of the University of Eastern Finland, said: “This shows that teaching children to eat their greens is not something mothers should be doing alone.
“A positive example set by both parents is important. Variation can be created by serving raw vegetables, such as the ever-popular cucumber and tomato, accompanied by cooked ones.”