Advanced radiotherapy treatment targeting brain tumours
The Minister for Health, Dr James Reilly, TD, officially launched the new National Stereotactic Radiosurgery Service at the St Luke’s Radiation Oncology Unit at Beaumont Hospital on May 2nd.
Article from HSE website, see here for original news story.
This new service is designed to treat patients with cancerous and benign brain tumours as well as cancers in other parts of the body and is one of the most sophisticated and precise radiotherapy treatments currently available internationally.
Funded by the Friends of St Luke’s, this new state of the art treatment was developed in partnership with the St Luke’s Radiation Oncology Network, the National Cancer Control Programme and the National Neurosurgical Centre at Beaumont Hospital. Its addition will establish the Beaumont facility as the National Centre for Stereotactic Radiosurgery in Ireland.
The new service will further enhance the current stereotactic service in St Luke’s Hospital, Rathgar. Up to 100 patients are expected to benefit from the treatment in Beaumont this year, with that number increasing to around 200 annually over the coming years as the service develops. It will also mean that patients will no longer have to travel abroad for this particular treatment.
Involving an investment of €1m by the Friends of St Luke’s, the new treatment significantly improves the patient experience. It is more precise, less intrusive and provides more patient comfort compared with older systems that required immobilisation of the patient’s head in a metal frame.
Speaking at today’s launch, Dr David Fitzpatrick, Consultant Radiation Oncology, St Luke’s Radiation Oncology Network noted: “This will allow our patients to benefit from a new standard of radiotherapy treatment – one that delivers fast, precise and less invasive treatment. The speed at which we can treat patients – in as little as 20 minutes – will mean many more patients can access world leading cancer treatment in Ireland.”
Chairperson of Friends of St Luke’s, Ms Aideen Goggin today noted that: “The Friends of St Luke’s are delighted to fund this exciting new development in treating patients of the St Luke’s Radiation Oncology Network. This is only made possible through the generosity of our supporters throughout the country”.
According to Mr Mohsen Javadpour, Consultant Neurosurgeon at the National Neurosurgical Centre Beaumont: “This new equipment, provided by Novalis, allows us to target difficult to treat cancers, such as inoperable tumours deep in the brain where open surgery carries a high risk. It enables us to treat the tumour whilst protecting the nearby healthy tissue. The recovery time is much shorter compared to open surgery and most treatments can be performed as a day case procedure.”
Acknowledging the investment of €1m by the Friends of St Luke’s, the Director of the National Cancer Control Programme, Dr Susan O’Reilly thanked the charitable body for their ongoing support: “The Friends of St Luke’s are truly patient centred in their approach. The relationship with St Luke’s prior to the establishment of the NCCP was always positive and always resulted in ongoing supports of varying kinds for patients at the hospital. With the advent of the St Luke’s Radiation Oncology Network, their commitment has continued and we are deeply appreciative of their focus on patients.”
Article from HSE website, see here for original news story.