HEALTH & WELLBEING
New cancer centre to
bring cutting edge cancer treatments to Liverpool Proton beam therapy is a type of radiotherapy that delivers heavily charged protons in a more targeted manner to reduce damage to peripheral tissue and organs. Its high precision and ability to stop at a defined point means that it reduces potential long-term side effects.
A brand-new cancer centre that will bring the latest and most advanced cancer treatments to Liverpool is nearing completion and is set to treat cancer patients in 2020. The Rutherford Cancer Centre North West, located in the Knowledge Quarter in Paddington Village, Liverpool, will offer chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiotherapy and proton beam therapy. It will become the fifth centre in the UK to offer proton beam therapy in what is a major milestone for cancer care in the UK. The centre is the latest in a network of Rutherford Cancer Centres throughout the UK operated by Rutherford Health Plc, which introduced proton beam therapy to the UK last year through its centre in Wales. Since then, two more Rutherford Cancer Centres have been built in Reading and Northumberland. In addition to offering pioneering proton beam therapy, the new centre in Liverpool will be the first cancer centre in the UK to offer MR Linac built by Elekta, a highly advanced imaging system that can precisely locate tumours.
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There are more than 90,000 cancer patients in the UK who require radical radiotherapy, according to Rutherford Health Plc, at least 10% of these patients – the figure accepted throughout Europe - could be better treated with proton beam therapy. Rutherford Health Plc hopes to make proton beam therapy accessible within a 90-minute drive of 75% of the population. Janine Melia-Moran, centre manager of the Rutherford Cancer Centre North West, said: “This will have wide-ranging implications for cancer care in Liverpool. Patients who require advanced cancer treatments will no longer have to make arduous trips to receive the treatment they need and will enjoy a world-class patient care experience.” “This is an extremely exciting time for cancer care in the UK. Just over a year ago, there were no cancer centres in the UK offering proton beam therapy, now our Liverpool centre will be the fifth centre to offer the treatment.
In addition to pioneering treatments such as proton beam therapy, our centre will have highly advanced imaging systems which are critical for treating cancer, including the MR Linac from Elekta which will be a first for the UK. The provision of the MR Linac system in Liverpool will prove transformative for cancer care in the region and it highlights the status of Liverpool as a fast-emerging hub for life sciences and cancer care in the UK.” The Rutherford Cancer Centre North West will begin treating patients with chemotherapy and immunotherapy services in 2020, followed by radiotherapy and proton beam therapy. The centre will be capable of treating 500 patients a year with proton beam therapy alone. For further information please visit therutherford.com or call 0800 210 0402. Janine Melia-Moran, Centre Manager, Rutherford Cancer Centre North West
‘This is an extremely exciting time for cancer care in the UK. Just over a year ago, there were no cancer centres in the UK offering proton beam therapy, now our Liverpool centre will be the fifth centre to offer the treatment.’