The Cancer Treatments Situation in Wales

[Whippit]

The Wales Report ran an article last Wednesday on access to cancer treatments in Wales.

bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b...

[thomas62]

Hello Annie, You are a champion in fighting for the rights of cancer patients in Wales to fair and equal access to treatments and drugs and doing this when you are fighting your own fight. I wish you well!

Gwen (from Doncaster)

[Whippit in reply to thomas62]

Thanks so much Gwen. It's a fight I'm pleased to take on and one that applies across the UK to some extent. Both Rick Greville and Elin Jones have been in touch with me since the programme was aired last week. I didn't know they had been interviewed as part of the programme. It feels as though something is being done to address the inequalities of treatment for Welsh people. Annie

[thomas62 in reply to Whippit]

Hi Annie,

You're welcome and yes, something has to be done to address inequalities both in Wales and England. I myself had a Welsh father (South Wales) although I was born in Manchester and was given the name Gwyneth. I feel that I have my feet in both camps!!

Whilst I don't tend to write on the site very much I do check it out frequently.

Annie, can you answer a few questions for me?

Why isn't the new Proton Beam therapy suitable for ovarian?

What is the difference between a radical hysterectomy and "supra" radical surgery?

What is plasma jet surgery? Do you know where this surgery can be accessed in England?

Is a PET scan superior to a CT scan for diagnosing re-occurrance?

Best wishes

Gwen

[Whippit in reply to thomas62]

Dear Gwen,

I'm a patient and not a clinician and I don't I understand all the terminology enough to provide any sort of detailed explanation.

From what I understand Proton Beam Therapy is a type of radiation therapy but I've been told radiotherapy is not generally suitable for ovarian cancer. You'd have to ask your clinician why this is and it would be interesting to hear their answer.

Radical and Supra-radical surgery. I'm aware a radical hysterectomy removes ovaries, fallopian tubes, cervix, uterus and omentum. I understand Supra-radical surgeons are trained to resect far more extensively. The surgeon at Addenbrooks last week described how they remove tumours from the upper abdomen as well as bowel and pelvis rather than being limited to gynae procedures.

I've only ever heard of plasma jet surgery but there's a good description here:

plasmasurgical.com/plasma-t...

I don't know which hospitals have the plasma jet but have heard it's available at the Marsden and am aware from a friend that there is a new the of plasma jet surgery available in Edinburgh.

I've had both CT and PET scans. The CT scan was used to monitor the growth or shrinkage of tumours. The PET scan produces a three-dimensional picture of the body processes. The body appears like slices of salami and when I was given one it was used for the surgeon to identify exactly where tumours were in order to judge whether they could be resected and whether that would do me good.

Let's hope something with more understanding than I can help you with these questions. I'll try asking at my hospital appointment next week.

I hope you get the answers to your questions,

I also feel as though I have a foot in both camps living in Cardiff and being treated in London. xx

Annie