A ‘magic bullet’ treatment for patients with a rare type of cancer is now being offered at Colchester Hospital.
Patients with neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) previously had to travel to London or Cambridge for the specialist lutetium molecular radiotherapy treatment. But the treatment, also known as a ‘magic bullet’, will now be offered for Ipswich and Colchester patients closer to home.
Paul Simpson is the first patient to receive the ‘magic bullet’ treatment at the Nuclear Medicine Centre at Colchester Hospital. Left to right: Kim Turner, Teresa Hurley, Mark Atthey and Paul Simpson (patient).
The magic bullet is a life-extending option for patients when other treatments, such as chemotherapy, aren’t possible. The liquid radiotherapy is injected into the blood stream through a drip and works by traveling directly to the tumour, stabilising or shrinking it.
The NET nuclear medicine team, left to right: Dr Mahmoud Rezk, Samantha Saunders, Teresa Hurley, Dr Mark Atthey, Kim Turner, Dr Ellie Saunders, Dr Jennifer Collins, Carroll Petty, Bridget Ekins and Dr Mary McStay.
Dr Mary McStay, consultant gastroenterologist at Colchester Hospital, which is run by East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, leads the Neuroendocrine Tumour Service.
She said: “We have brought a specialist treatment closer to home for patients. We know some patients feel unable to travel due to being poorly, or they just don’t feel comfortable going to a London hospital for the treatment.
“Being able to offer this to patients from the Ipswich and Colchester area is a great step forward. We’re also hoping patients from the surrounding area will be able to come to Colchester Hospital for the treatment too.”
NETs are rare tumours that can affect any part of the body. Most originate from the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas and are slow growing. Unfortunately, many people are only diagnosed after the tumour has spread to other parts of the body, and therefore cannot have curative surgery.
Colchester Hospital is only one of two hospitals in the east of England to offer the treatment.
Dr McStay added: “This treatment is going to offer another avenue for patients and will give them a better quality of life. It isn’t a cure unfortunately, but is life-extending.”
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