Do you want to know more about oesophageal cancer and developments in treatment?

Come along to an information evening, hosted by Maggie’s Glasgow & The OPA

The evening will include a presentation by Consultant Surgeon, Grant Fullarton, followed by Hannah Smith reflecting on her personal experience – ‘Looking back sprinting forward – my story after oesophageal surgery’.

This session is available for anyone with a cancer diagnosis, family, friends & professionals.

When: Wednesday 26 October, 6-8pm
Where: Maggie’s Glasgow, Gartnavel hospital campus

If you wish to attend please call 0141 357 2269 or speak to a member of staff in Maggie’s Glasgow.

Download the meeting flyer

Find out more about Maggie’s Glasgow on our support page

Surgeons at St George’s carried out a new endoscopic treatment for acid reflux, called Stretta, for the first time in October.

This means that St George’s is now the only NHS hospital in the UK to offer a fully comprehensive endoscopic and surgical anti-reflux service.

Acid reflux, otherwise known as heartburn, is a chronic condition where stomach acid passes into the oesophagus causing a variety of symptoms including pain and regurgitation.

It affects approximately 20% of the population and although medication is usually successful in treating this condition, some patients with severe symptoms require surgery.

Traditionally this would involve major abdominal surgery, called fundoplication, which involves wrapping the stomach around the oesophagus. Although effective, it has a number of side effects which is why the St George’s upper gastrointestinal surgical team investigated new approaches to develop less invasive surgical treatments for reflux.

Over the last four years, the team at St George’s has successfully introduced Linx – a less invasive surgical operation involving the insertion of a magnetic barrier ring to improve acid reflux symptoms, before introducing the latest procedure Stretta.

Stretta involves the insertion of an endoscope via the mouth to strengthen the muscles around the bottom part of the oesophagus. This technique has the advantage of avoiding the need for surgical incisions and can even be done without the need for general anaesthesia.

Tony Garbutt, 70, was the first patient at St George’s to undergo Stretta under the care of Mr Marcus Reddy and Mr Omar Khan, Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons.

He said: “My symptoms were getting so bad that I was having real difficulty in breathing. I couldn’t have invasive surgery that was previously available, so this new procedure really is life-changing for me.”

Tony, a builder from South Croydon, suffered with acid reflux symptoms for twenty years and took medication every day in an attempt to keep the symptoms at bay before being transferred to St George’s when Stretta became available.

He said: “I’m so thankful to the team at St George’s, everything went smoothly and I’m back to work and living symptom free!”

Mr Reddy, who led the procedure, said: “I’m delighted to have introduced Stretta to St George’s. It’s much better for our patients – like Tony – to avoid invasive surgery, and they can go home on the same day.

He added: “Although it’s not suitable for everyone, those who are able to have the procedure are those who have the most severe symptoms and will see a huge difference.”

Mr Khan said: “As a supra-regional specialist centre for reflux surgery, St George’s already attracts local and national referrals but the addition of Stretta, along with our existing Linx programme means we are now the only NHS hospital in the UK to be able to offer a fully comprehensive endoscopic and surgical anti-reflux service for our patients.

He added: “This reinforces our position as national leaders and innovators in benign upper gastrointestinal surgery.”

Mr Marcus Reddy and Mr Omar Khan also carried out the first gastric bypass operation as a day case at St George’s earlier this year.

This article is from St George’s University Hospitals – https://www.stgeorges.nhs.uk/newsitem/st-georges-develops-uk-first-anti-reflux-surgery-service/ 

The Difference Between Chemo and Radiation

When you or a loved one is diagnosed with cancer, it’s normal to have many thoughts running through your head — how bad is it, what does this mean for my future, and what is the treatment actually like?

When referring to treatment, you may hear the words “chemotherapy” or “radiation.” Maybe, you’re told about a combination of both. So, what exactly is the difference between chemo and radiation?

Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy? What Are the Differences?

What Is Chemotherapy?

Chemotherapy, or chemo, is a process in which drugs are used to treat cancer.

It is a “systemic” treatment — working through the whole body to prevent the spread of the disease. The drug(s) used will vary depending on the type and stage of cancer as well as the patient’s age and health. The goal of chemotherapy is to stop the spread of cancer to other parts of the body.

Chemotherapy is administered by a medical oncology (cancer) health professional, typically a nurse or doctor. Chemo can be delivered as an outpatient procedure, in a hospital, a doctor’s office, or even at home in any of the following ways:

  • Injection into muscle, vein, or artery
  • Orally
  • Injection into the body (such as the abdomen)
  • Direct skin application

Chemotherapy side effects

Chemo side effects vary depending on the type and amount of chemotherapy drug used and how the body reacts to it. Because chemotherapy drugs travel through the body, they can also impact healthy cells, leading to a variety of side effects.

Chemo is designed to kill fast-growing cancer cells, but this can sometimes lead to side effects involving the body’s other, healthy fast-growing cells.

  • Blood forming cells in the bone marrow (anemia, increased risk of infection, bruising)
  • Hair follicles (temporary hair loss)
  • Cells in the mouth, digestive and reproductive tract (nausea, loss appetite, constipation, diarrhea)

Some chemo drugs can damage cells in the heart, kidneys, bladder, lungs, and nervous system. Your doctor monitors you closely and may prescribe medicines to protect your body’s normal cells. There are also medicines to help relieve side effects.

What Is Radiation Therapy?

Radiation therapy is the use of high-energy particles or waves to destroy or damage cancer cells.

Radiation is delivered using special equipment that sends high doses of radiation to the cancer cells or tumor. Radiation can also affect healthy cells, however, normal cells can repair themselves, while cancer cells cannot.

Sometimes radiation is used to treat cancer, or it may be used to help you feel better, such as to minimize bone pain, for example. Radiation therapy can take place on its own, but it’s frequently combined with chemotherapy as a comprehensive cancer treatment program.

Radiation therapy differs from chemotherapy — it is used to treat just the tumor, so it affects only the part of the body that has cancer.

Types of radiation therapy

Radiation can be administered in two ways: internally or externally:

External: External beam radiation is delivered from a machine. It is very similar to receiving a chest X-ray. Most people are treated five days a week for one to 10 weeks, depending on the type and location of cancer, their overall health, and other factors. The treatment only takes a few minutes, and is not generally given over the weekend.

You will be asked to lie flat on a treatment table, under the radiation machine. Other parts of your body may be protected with special shields or blocks to prevent the radiation from going to those areas.

External treatments include:

  • 3D conformal radiation therapy after the tumor is mapped through imaging, beams of radiation treat the cancerous tumor.
  • Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) gives the radiation oncologists the ability to more precisely “custom sculpt” the shape of the tumor. This helps deliver the right amount of radiation more accurately, as well as helps to preserve healthy tissue surrounding the tumor.

Internal: Radiation that is placed inside of the body is called internal radiation therapy or brachytherapy. A radioactive source, called an implant, is placed directly to the tumor or near the tumor. This delivers large doses of radiation to directly to the source of your cancer. These implants may look like a wire, pellet, or seeds.

If the implants are left in your body, you may be given special instructions such as to limit your time with and/or avoid children or pregnant women. After a few weeks to a few months, the implants stop giving off radiation, and you can return to normal activities. The implant, however, will remain in your body forever.

Some implants may be removed after a period of hours or days. Most often, they are administered in a hospital private room, and visitors will only be allowed to stay with you for short periods of time.

This article is from UPMC Hillman Cancer Centre – https://share.upmc.com/2016/07/chemotherapy-and-radiation/