Cervical Cancer Treatment Presented In Malta Saves Future Patients From Having To Travel Abroad
The Canon Aplio Diagnostic Ultrasound System is instrumental in providing brachytherapy to cervical cancer patients, however, a local lack of the technology has meant that patients have had to travel far and wide to receive this treatment. That is, until today.
The ultrasound system was presented to the Sir Anthony Mamo Oncology Centre by the Marigold Foundation and the Pink October Movember Team.
“All patients needing this treatment must travel to London, which provides its own challenges,” a statement issued earlier today explained. “With this therapy carried out in Malta, future patients will be saved from the anxiety and hassle of traveling abroad for treatment.”
“It also saves state money from the Malta Community Chest Fund as well as Puttinu Cares funds. Apart from saving the patient from having to leave home, family, and work.”
However, in the coming months, brachytherapy will be available to local patients.
The team at Sir Anthony Mamo Oncology Centre is currently collaborating with the International Atomic Energy Agency on brachytherapy training which now, with this system in place, “means that our patients in the coming months will no longer need to travel to the UK for this purpose”.
Cervical cancer affects the neck of the uterus. If it is picked up early, it can often be treated with surgery alone. However, if the tumour has grown beyond the uterus, treatment is with a course of pelvic radiotherapy over five weeks, given with weekly chemotherapy, both aimed at killing the cancer.
Radiotherapy is like having an X-ray, with the X-rays- at a much higher dose- entering from outside the body and travelling through the pelvis. This course is then followed by a treatment called intra-uterine brachytherapy in order to boost the radiation dose to the cervical tumour.
‘Brachy’ means ‘near’. This means that the radiation is delivered internally, through the vagina and uterus, allowing the high dose to be given nearby only, treating the cancer, while normal organs in the region, such as the bladder and bowel can receive a lower dose, and their function better protected.
This cannot be achieved with standard pelvic radiotherapy alone. Brachytherapy is carried out under general or spinal anaesthetic. It is normally a short operation, lasting about half an hour, in which thin metal rods are inserted into the uterus, with the help of ultrasound guidance to help with positioning.
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