THE fight against cancer in the North-East has received a major double boost.

Hundreds of women at risk of developing cervical cancer will benefit from a new hi-tech gadget used to spot pre-cancerous “hot spots” and two North-East hospital trusts have been included in a £15 million radiotherapy treatment programme that targets tumours more precisely than ever before.

Medics at the Northern Gynaecological Oncology Centre, based at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead, have started using a Dynamic Spectral Imaging System (DySIS) in a bid to detect changes which could become cancer.

The device uses digital imaging to show doctors where pre-cancerous cells are in a woman’s cervix – and map and measure changes to help them choose the best treatment.

The advanced cervical scan avoids the need for invasive treatment which can cause problems in pregnancy, such as miscarriage and premature birth.

Raj Naik, a consultant gynaecological oncologist at the centre, said: “DySIS through early detection and treatment can pick up more pre-cancerous changes and by treating them we can potentially prevent these women going on to develop cancer in the future.

“This is helping to improve the accuracy of the colposcopy programme and my view is that this device also has an important role to play in the management of these women, as it gives you more information, so you can be more considered about who you will treat.”

DySIS is being used at a handful of hospitals across the country.

Meanwhile, South Tees and Newcastle upon Tyne NHS Foundation Trusts have been named by NHS England among 17 centres to treat patients with stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR), as part of a three-year £15 million initiative.

SABR uses high doses of radiation but causes less damage to surrounding healthy tissue than conventional radiotherapy. It is also delivered over fewer hospital visits – three to five, compared to 20 to 30.

Nick Wadd, clinical director for radiotherapy and oncology at South Tees, said the trust was delighted to be selected.

“We have already successfully delivered SABR to 200 patients to treat tumours in the chest – predominantly lung cancer – but now we can extend provision to treat oligometastatic tumours (cancer that has spread to fewer than five other sites in the body).

“SABR delivers extremely high doses of radiation with very high precision and side effects are minimal.”