We fund equipment to improve the treatment of GI and HPB Cancers at the Royal Surrey County Hospital
Current Fundraising – NanoKnife® Machine
BRIGHT is currently fundraising for a NanoKnife® machine to treat pancreatic and GI cancers that have spread to the liver but which are surgically inoperable.
NanoKnife® (also known as Irreversible Electroporation; IRE) involves using electrical currents to damage and destroy the cancer cells. The aim of this treatment is to slow the growth of these cancers, which may help some people live longer, as well as help treat symptoms such as pain.
Few hospitals in the UK have access to this treatment, therefore having the ability to offer NanoKnife® to suitable patients at the RSCH would be a significant improvement for patient care.
Any donations towards the purchase of this machine are hugely appreciated. Please click on ‘Donate’ or get in touch via ‘Contact Us’.
Liver Cancer Surgery
The Regional HPB Unit was founded at the RSCH in 2005 and now has five HPB surgeons dedicated to carrying out surgery of the liver, pancreas and bile ducts, including GI cancers that have spread to the liver. The equipment for liver surgery was provided for through funds raised by the Liver Cancer Surgery Appeal (LCSA) who have now merged with BRIGHT.
The primary equipment for liver surgery to be carried out successfully is a Cavitron Ultrasonic Surgical Aspirator (CUSA). With this piece of equipment liver surgery can be carried out with minimal blood loss, which is ultimately safer for patients. The LCSA raised money for four machines, which now serve the HPB Unit.
A long-term objective is for BRIGHT to continue funding this expanding HPB Unit which plans to develop robotic surgery.
Intra-Operative Ultrasound
The current ultrasound machine used within the Royal Surrey Country Hospital (RSCH) was originally funded by the Liver Cancer Surgery Appeal (LCSA) over 15 years ago. BRIGHT is proud to have raised £45,000 to buy the Intra-Operative Ultrasound Machine and two required probes for the RSCH. This equipment is very easy to use and is essential for the HPB Unit at RSCH to continue to provide a high quality service for both liver and pancreatic cancer patients.
This new machine will allow HPB surgeons to maintain their high standard of both traditional open as well as laparoscopic liver and pancreatic cancer surgery (a type of surgical procedure that allows a surgeon to access the inside of the abdomen and pelvis without having to make large incisions in the skin, also known as keyhole surgery) by locating tumours with great accuracy and ensuring adequate resection margins (an amount of clear non-cancerous tissues around the tumour that has been surgically removed).
With the provision of excellent images and great definition it can also be used to visualise tumours during intra-operative microwave ablation; the killing of cancer cells with heat using the ultrasound to see exactly where the cancer tumours are located during surgery.
Papillon Radiotherapy
In 2013, BRIGHT helped to fund a new Papillon Radiotherapy Machine at the St Luke’s Cancer Centre, RSCH. The hospital is the first in the south of England to offer this kind of treatment and its introduction is part of the ongoing programme to maintain the hospital as a centre of excellence for bowel cancer treatment.
The Papillon machine offers a unique form of radiotherapy treatment and is suitable for some patients with early stage rectal cancer, offering an alternative to major surgery. It provides contact radiotherapy, which means patients can receive a higher radiation dose to the tumour with less risk of damage to the surrounding tissue, as compared to radiotherapy given from outside the body.
To date 143 patients have been treated by the Papillon Machine at RSCH.
Treatment with the Papillon machine offers an alternative to this life-changing surgery. It provides contact radiotherapy, which means patients can receive a higher radiation dose with less risk of damage to the surrounding tissue.
Below is a video that tells you more about Papillon Radiotherapy. You can also find out more about Papillon here: https://www.contactpapillon.com/