CANCER patients in the North-East are benefitting from the most advanced form of radiotherapy in the country – previously only available in London – after a hugely successful fundraising campaign.

The announcement follows a campaign launched by North-East businessman Sir John Hall on behalf of the Charlie Bear Fund for Cancer Care back in 2011 which raised £200,000.

It led to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation contributing £850,000 towards the £3m cost of the new radiotherapy suite, the Newcastle Hospitals Charity chipping in another £150,000 and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust providing £1.8m.

Patients with lung cancer are already receiving treatment in the new stereotactic radiotherapy facility at the Northern Centre for Cancer Care (NCCC) at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital.

Doctors say there is scope to extend treatment to other tumour sites in both children and adults.

The stereotactic radiotherapy system uses detailed scans and computerised treatment planning to deliver radiation with tremendous accuracy. Small, thin beams of radiation are directed from different angles to meet at the tumour.

The tumour receives a high dose of radiation, while the surrounding healthy tissues receive a reduced dose.

The state-of-the-art system includes a Novalis Truebeam STX linear accelerator, a BrainLab planning system, 6 Degrees of Freedom treatment couch and ExacTrac patient positioning.

Damage to surrounding tissue is minimal, vastly reducing potential side effects and treatment is delivered in just a few short radiotherapy sessions instead of weeks of conventional radiotherapy.

Dr Ian Pedley, consultant clinical oncologist, said: “We’re thrilled to be able to offer our patients access to the very best treatment available, and to have it right here, on their doorstep."

Sir John said: “I want to say a very big thank you to everyone who has contributed. You have helped to change the face of cancer treatment in the North-East.”

Sir Leonard Fenwick, chief executive for the Newcastle Hospitals said: “I am immensely proud of the world class services we are able to offer.”

Professor Ruth Plummer, a trustee of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and director of the Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre, says: “This is exactly the kind of world class cancer facility that Sir Bobby envisaged when he launched his charity.

“At the beginning, he had no idea how enthusiastic and generous people would be and he was so humbled by it, and for all the Trustees this feeling remains."