Cancer boost as Western is handed £5m for equipment

Published on Tuesday 17 March 2009 09:17

MILLIONS of pounds are to be invested to equip Edinburgh's Western General with the cancer fighting technology.

As part of a national strategy, the Cancer Centre at the Craigleith hospital will receive almost 5 million of funding to update equipment.

The Scottish Government said the funding would propel the Western to the forefront of cancer care.

It will give the hospital the capacity to provide Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) – a cutting edge method of radiotherapy allowing precise doses of radiation to be targeted on tumours.

It is understood treatment of prostate and gynaecological cancers – such as cervical and ovarian cancer – will particularly stand to benefit from the new facilities at the Western.

Health secretary Nicola Sturgeon was set to visit the hospital this morning to make the announcement.

She said: "Ensuring that we are able to offer modern, dynamic equipment to improve the detection and treatment of cancer is vital.

"I am particularly pleased that new machines, including replacement equipment, will have the capacity for IMRT, a treatment delivery technique that targets radiation beams more effectively.

"This is the kind of advance technology, where radiation can be adjusted to vary the doses given to different parts of the body, can help deliver improvements in treatment offered by the NHS."

The Radiotherapy Equipment Replacement Programme was allocated across the country's five cancer centres, with the amounts being decided on by need.

NHS Highland was the biggest winner with a package worth 9 million. After NHS Lothian, Grampian received 3 million, Glasgow 2 million and Tayside 1 million.

In many cases, radiotherapy is seen as a valuable weapon against tumours because of the minimal damage it causes to normal tissue, and is used if surgery is no longer an option.

Around 100 men a year die from prostate cancer in the Lothians, and while early detection is still seen as critical in fighting this, the new machinery could save those who discover the disease late.

Ms Sturgeon added: "Our commitment to improving prevention, detection and treatment remains the key goal in NHS Scotland's approach to reducing the incidence of cancer and the impact of cancer on patients and their families. The funding announced today will further realise that commitment."