Liver cancer Patients suffering from a uncommon form of tumor are having access to a potentially life-saving treatment blocked even though it has been approved for such cases. NHS .
A prominent cancer charity is currently urging for immediate action, stating that patients are being 'abandoned without support.'
The therapy known as selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) received approval last year, providing hope for individuals suffering from a rare type of liver tumour called a neuroendocrine tumour (NET).
Back then, Health Minister Andrew Stephenson praised the decision, stating that it not only assists cancer patients in returning to their normal lives but also aids in freeing up National Health Service (NHS) resources and reducing waitlists.
However, The Mail on Sunday has discovered that no patients have been administered the SIRT treatment because the NHS has yet to fund it.
"It is entirely unacceptable that a therapy which has been recognized as safe, effective, and economical is still not being provided," states Layla Stephen, an NET patient and director at the cancer charity Planets.
People with NETs can’t afford to wait — they require immediate access to the most effective treatments, rather than having to wait another one or two years.
Approximately 6,000 individuals in the UK receive a diagnosis of an NET each year. These tumors typically occur in the pancreas, intestines, or lungs but can also arise in various other areas of the body.
In the absence of SIRT, choices for most patients typically come down to surgical procedures.
While undergoing the therapy, tiny microspheres — which are radioactive beads even finer than a strand of human hair — are introduced into the bloodstream of the liver. They attach themselves to minute blood vessels within the tumor and emit radiation that annihilates the cancerous cells.
When the UK’s healthcare cost-monitoring body, NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence), determined that SIRT should receive funding from the NHS, they stated it led to reduced side effects, quicker recovery periods, and an improved quality of life for patients when contrasted with surgical procedures or chemotherapy treatments. Additionally, their findings indicated a higher overall survival rate.
A spokesperson for the NHS stated, "The NHS is formulating a nationwide policy on SIRT to guarantee that all patients throughout England receive the most optimal care available."
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