Selective Radiation Therapy (SIRT)
- From: J <pitstop@xxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 09 Sep 2005 14:27:23 -0400
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2005/s1457122.htm
The World Today - Friday, 9 September , 2005 12:42:00
Reporter: Jennifer Macey
ELEANOR HALL: Now to some potentially good news for cancer sufferers.
The results of an international clinical trial, which included more than
2,000 Australian liver and bowel cancer patients, indicate that a radical
new approach to treating the disease has a much higher success rate than
conventional therapy.
The experimental treatment works by directly targeting tumours with a dose
of internal radiation 40 times higher than conventional radiotherapy.
Now, emboldened by the international success rate, two Australian clinical
trials have been launched in Sydney this week, as Jennifer Macey reports
JENNIFER MACEY: Ken Dawson from Queensland was diagnosed with bowel cancer
last year. Surgery removed the tumour, but further tests reveal that the
cancer had spread to his liver. He was told he had just years to live.
KEN DAWSON: And they knew at the time they did the bowel surgery that
there was the possibility of tumours in the liver. And that was confirmed
with an ultrasound. That was more or less the diagnosis, that I could have
had chemotherapy but they didn't think it would do any good in the
long-term.
JENNIFER MACEY: Ken Dawson travelled to Melbourne for a new treatment
called Selective Radiation Therapy, or SIRT, where millions of microscopic
radioactive spheres or pellets were directly inserted into the liver.
After three months scans showed that the big tumours in Ken's liver had
shrunk significantly. Further tests this year indicated that Ken had been
cured.
KEN DAWSON: Oh, 100 per cent, couldn't get any better. So at this point in
time I'm totally cancer free.
JENNIFER MACEY: So, what was the treatment like?
KEN DAWSON: Oh, it was very non-invasive.
JENNIFER MACEY: And did you feel any side effects?
KEN DAWSON: Oh, slightly fluey, but only a case of a sniffily nose. But I
wouldn't say I was in any discomfort at all.
JENNIFER MACEY: Ken Dawson's success story is typical of the thousands of
cases involved in the international clinical trial led by a team from the
University of Pittsburgh in the US.
Dr Peter Gibbs is from the Royal Melbourne Hospital, and is heading two
new Australian clinical trials that it's hoped will advance the results of
the international study.
Dr Gibbs says up to 250 patients will be involved in the new targeted
radiotherapy treatment.
PETER GIBBS: The way it's given, a little catheter or a tube is placed
into one of the arteries in the groin and then the radiologist feeds that
little tube up to the liver artery, and once he's got that in position
then from outside, the small dose of radiotherapy is injected through the
catheter and goes directly to the liver.
So we're getting a high dose of radiation targeting directing to the
cancers in the liver. And for several reasons most of the dose ends up in
the cancer rather than in the normal liver as well.
JENNIFER MACEY: In most cases, liver cancer is terminal, and spread to the
liver from cancer initially found in the bowel or pancreas. Over 12,000
Australians are diagnosed with bowel cancer each year, and half of those
will also develop liver cancer.
Dr Gibbs says this new form of radiotherapy will complement surgery and
chemotherapy, because it zeroes in on tumours found in the liver only.
PETER GIBBS: And the large clinical trial that we're about to start is
looking at combining the SIRT treatment, the radiotherapy treatment with
our best current chemotherapy, and I think that's got the most promise.
We're optimistic that within the larger trial we'll be able to demonstrate
how good this treatment is.
JENNIFER MACEY: The potentially revolutionary treatment was developed by
an Australian company, but without government subsidy. The same treatment,
at $7,500 a pop, does get government support in the US.
Patient and beneficiary Ken Dawson hopes the new national trials will get
Canberra onboard.
KEN DAWSON: Well, I was surprised to find that it's available for subsidy
in the United States, and this is an Australian company who exports this
treatment throughout the world, but it's not eligible for medical benefits
in Australia. It's not cheap.
JENNIFER MACEY: But it was worth it?
KEN DAWSON: Oh, definitely, I'd do it all again. I'd recommend it for
anybody in my situation. Wouldn't hesitate.
ELEANOR HALL: And that's cancer survivor Ken Dawson speaking to Jennifer
Macey.
.
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