Prostate Cancer – Treating patients in the county
17/04/2008
Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust (PCT) has agreed to fund an important treatment for prostate cancer for people in the county.
Prostate Cancer can be treated in a number of different ways, not all will suit every patient.
One treatment option is brachytherapy. Brachytherapy is a seed implantation. Radioactive ‘seeds’ are carefully placed inside of the cancerous tissue and positioned in a manner that will attack the cancer most efficiently.
Since 2003, thanks to the tireless work of the Gloucestershire Prostate Cancer (Brachytherapy Unit) Trust (the Trust), Brachytherapy treatment has been available at Cheltenham General Hospital. Patients were previously travelling to Leeds or Guildford. The Trust fundraised to bring the treatment to Cheltenham and then to continue making it available.
Having the treatment available in the county has been of great benefit to patients who have been able to reduce their travelling time and receive treatment closer to home.
Gloucestershire PCT will complete taking over funding the needles and seeds for this treatment from April 2009.
Jackie Huck, Deputy Director of Commissioning at the PCT, says: “The achievements of the Gloucestershire Prostate Cancer (Brachytherapy Unit) Trust are remarkable. They have provided a great support to patients in the county suffering from prostate cancer that might not otherwise have been available. The PCT has agreed to help support their fundraising efforts by funding the needles and seeds for brachytherapy treatment.”
Former Mayor of Cheltenham, Brian Chaplin set up the Trust following a consultation for brachytherapy treatment.
Brian says: “I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in November 2000 following a blood test by my doctor.
“I was offered surgery or radiotherapy but didn’t really want either. I did some research and came across brachytherapy so spoke to my consultant, Mr Hugh Gilbert. I was eventually referred to Mount Vernon Hospital Northwood, Middlesex, to take part in a trial treatment using High Dose rate Brachytherapy
“Meanwhile, I looked into how brachytherapy treatment could be brought to Cheltenham and set about bringing together a charity that could help fund it as a pilot project. This charity was officially launched in July 2001 and I am delighted that its work will now result in the PCT funding brachytherapy.”
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. 35,000 men are diagnosed every year.
