Kidney cancer patients in Cornwall will have better access to a minimally invasive treatment after the first microwave ablation procedure for renal cancer was successfully completed at Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust (RCHT).
The new service is expected to improve outcomes and cut the need for long-distance travel, allowing more people in Cornwall to receive advanced cancer therapy.
The treatment uses a fine antenna inserted into a renal tumour while the patient is under general anaesthetic. With CT imaging for precise guidance, clinicians deliver microwave energy to destroy the tumour without major surgery. The service marks a significant milestone for cancer care in Cornwall, following more than five years of work to gain approval and set up the procedure locally.
Previously, patients needing this specialist treatment had to travel to Plymouth. An RCHT audit found that up to 30 per cent of eligible patients could not do so for social, personal or practical reasons, and often chose major surgery closer to home. The first patient treated at RCHT recovered well and went home the next day. The procedure was led by a multi-disciplinary team including interventional radiology consultants Helena Barton, Rhys Llewelyn and Angie Rogers, with support from Dr Jonathan Skinner of the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital and industry expert Dan Canning from Angiodynamics Solero.
Mark Mantle, head of cancer services, said: “We’re delighted the first case went so well. This is an important development for patients in Cornwall, providing access to a minimally invasive treatment closer to home. We hope to expand this service to treat some types of liver cancer and liver metastases in the coming months.”
Cornwall Achieves First Kidney Cancer Treatment Success