Private chemotherapy - Male doctor and testicular cancer patient

Learn About The Treatment Options For Testicular Cancer

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Testicular cancer is one of those conditions that is, by its very nature, often made harder to treat by later diagnosis. The general reluctance of men to seek medical advice is well documented. However, it is a form of cancer that is nearly always treated successfully, leaving the patient surviving and cancer-free.

Every so often, the disease will make the news because of a high-profile case, the latest being in the US, where NBA basketball star Nikola Topic has revealed he has been diagnosed and is undergoing chemotherapy treatment.

We can offer private chemotherapy for testicular cancer as well as other treatment options. A range of different means of tackling the disease exists and, as with other cancers, a range of factors can help to determine the best approach.

These include age, general health, how advanced the cancer is and whether it has metastasised (spread elsewhere in the body as secondary cancer). Often, the best approach will involve a combination of treatments.

Facts About Testicular Cancer

Unusually, testicular cancer is a disease predominantly affecting younger men, with around half of cases aged under 35. It is the most common cancer in men aged between 15 and 44, although it is rare in puberty. In contrast to prostate cancer, which is more likely to affect black and Asian men, white men are at the greatest risk from testicular cancer.

The likelihood that this occurs in someone who is younger and fitter does mean there will be greater resilience in dealing with more aggressive treatments, although chemotherapy and radiotherapy side-effects will impact patients of any age.

Surgery to remove the affected testicle is used in most cases. If this occurs early enough, it may be enough in itself to get rid of the cancer entirely. The good news for men hoping to start a family or add to any children they already have is that one remaining testicle can still produce enough sperm to maintain fertility.

Like most cancers, the means by which testicular cancer can spread is through the lymph nodes, which can subsequently affect a wider area and ultimately lead to cancer in very different parts of the body.

When Chemotherapy Or Radiotherapy May Be Used

In many instances, the best approach is for chemotherapy or radiotherapy to be used to tackle any cancerous cells remaining after the surgery. This can help prevent metastasis. Sometimes, further surgery can also be used to remove any remaining cells.

Chemotherapy is designed to target cancer cells and that can be highly effective in tackling primary testicular cancer.

Chemotherapy Drugs Used For Prostate Cancer

Various chemotherapy drugs exist for testicular cancer treatment, including bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin. These can be given in combination, known as BEP therapy. Another common drug is carboplatin.

Each of these drugs contains chemicals that are toxic to cancer cells and can kill them. While radiotherapy will work specifically on the areas where the radiation is directed to kill cells in the localised area, chemotherapy has the advantage of mobility, as the chemicals will enter the bloodstream and can destroy cells that are travelling around the body.

This means chemotherapy can be particularly effective in preventing metastasis. Other uses include adjuvant chemotherapy, which is given after surgery to reduce the risk of recurrence. This is when carboplatin is most likely to be used.

Alternatively, chemotherapy can be given in the case of a recurrence after the first course of chemotherapy treatment. If this is the case, or secondary cancer has developed, the dose is likely to be higher and the treatment more intense.

As can be deduced from the above, there are various scenarios that prostate cancer patients may find themselves in, chiefly relating to the stage the disease is at when any course of treatment occurs.

In the ideal scenario, the chemotherapy or radiotherapy after surgery will be enough to leave the patient cancer-free. However, when this is not the case, either due to a recurrence or the emergence of secondary cancer, there are further chemotherapy options.

Radiotherapy For Prostate Cancer

When radiotherapy is used on testicular cancer, it comes in the form of external beam radiotherapy, which will direct the radiation at the scrotum and the affected area.

The side-effects of both chemotherapy and radiotherapy can be significant, which can include a loss of appetite, tummy trouble, sore skin and hair loss. However, after treatment, these symptoms will ease off, a prime example being when lost hair grows back. Where fertility is placed at risk, sperm samples can be taken and frozen beforehand.

We specialise in providing personalised treatment for every patient. While testicular cancer is eminently treatable, there are still various paths that the road back to health can take, some longer than others. What we will do is ensure that whatever is most appropriate for you will be available to ensure the best possible outcome.

Learn more about our advanced radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatments for prostate cancer on the Amethyst Group website.

Private radiotherapy - Doctor consulting male patient with suspected prostate cancer

How Is Radiotherapy Used To Treat Prostate Cancer?

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Prostate cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer affecting men. The most recent EU-wide figures (for 2020) showed it accounted for 23 per cent of cancer diagnoses in men, while data for the UK between 2017 and 2019 put the figure at 28 per cent.

There are some significant demographic variations. For instance, the disease is most likely to affect men in their late 70s, while there are also racial differences, with black men at the greatest risk and Asian men at higher risk than their white counterparts.

New Discovery Highlights Genetic Risk

A further discovery has highlighted how some men may be at a particularly high risk for genetic reasons. The Institute for Cancer Research in London has found that men with mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes are at an elevated risk of getting the disease.

This led to the institute calling for changes in UK prostate screening guidelines to ensure that all men aged over 40 with these mutations are given regular screening to increase the chances of an early diagnosis.

The findings were presented at the annual congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology. It marks a shift from the previous findings from the same institute, which had already identified mutations in the BRCA2 gene as a sign of increased risk, with sufficient evidence now available to add mutations in the BRCA1 gene to the high-risk category.

Treating Prostate Cancer

As with any type of cancer, an earlier diagnosis can make treatment easier. However, whether the diagnosis is early or late, radiotherapy will commonly be used.

While earlier detection typically broadens treatment options and improves outcomes, radiotherapy remains a principal treatment for prostate cancer across different stages.

Our private radiotherapy centre can offer different methods of delivering this, in accordance with each patient’s circumstances.

Because prostate cancer is so common, there is a lot of knowledge and treatment about how to tackle it. However, as can be seen above, research is ongoing on a large scale and more is being learned all the time. This means that new means of treating the disease emerge frequently, whether entirely new or a fine-tuning of existing methods.

In the case of radiotherapy, the latter applies, as radiotherapy as a treatment for prostate cancer has a long history. It may be used on its own, or in combination with other treatments such as surgery to remove the tumour or even the whole prostate, as well as chemotherapy.

There are two main methods of treating prostate cancer through radiotherapy, which are external beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy.

External Beam Therapy

In the first case, this involves beams of radiation being aimed at the affected area using a machine to direct them. The most precise form of external beam radiotherapy is known as stereotactic radiotherapy, which seeks to target very specific, small areas. That is something that can be done when the cancer is very localised, such as after an early diagnosis.

The benefit of stereotactic radiotherapy is that it can concentrate the radiation very closely on a small area to target the cancer effectively while minimising exposure for the surrounding tissue.

For this reason, less concentrated radiotherapy may be more likely to be used in the event of secondary cancer occurring, which spreads beyond the prostate into surrounding areas and therefore warrants the delivery of a wider dose of radiation across a less restricted area.

The Use Of Brachytherapy

The other main treatment method is Brachytherapy. This involves placing a small seed of radioactive material under the skin in or near the affected area, where it will deliver radiotherapy. This means it is delivering this constantly rather than in specific sessions at one of our radiotherapy centres.

In the case of brachytherapy, multiple ‘seeds’ of material, around the size of a grain of rice, are used, with the number varying according to the size of the tumour.

If it proves possible to use radiotherapy alone without resort to surgery, this can produce better outcomes for the patient. Common problems for those who undergo surgery include losing the ability to get and sustain erections and urinary leakage.

Side Effects Of Radiotherapy

As with radiotherapy for any form of cancer, there are side effects to consider. These commonly include tiredness and fatigue, skin soreness, a loss of appetite, bowel and urinary issues, and sexual side-effects (including erectile dysfunction).

The minimisation of exposure for healthy tissue near affected areas, reducing symptoms, is one of the benefits of stereotactic radiotherapy.

However, the right kind of radiotherapy treatment, along with other treatments, will depend on the circumstances of each patient. What we will always do is ensure that you get the best treatment for your own situation.

Learn more about our advanced radiotherapy treatments for prostate cancer on the Amethyst Group website.

amethyst porto

Amethyst Healthcare Launches Portugal Presence

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Amethyst Healthcare, one of the leading providers of advanced radiotherapy and integrated cancer care in Europe, has announced that it has now established a firm presence in Portugal, following the acquisition of private Portuguese radiotherapy provider Júlio Teixeira.

This strategic move will ensure that people in Portugal are better able to enjoy even greater access to radiotherapy cancer care.

New Radiotherapy Centres

In an exclusive interview with Healthcare Business International, Amethyst CEO Stéphane Carré explained that the acquisition of Júlio Teixeira will add to Amethyst’s ever-expanding clinical network and increase the number of patients treated by the group each year by approximately 3,000.

Júlio Teixeira clinics are located in Porto, partnered within CUF, the leading private healthcare hub in northern Portugal, and a second centre in Braga.

Mr Carré said: “The Portuguese market is relatively small compared to others in Europe, but it is a well organised and well administrated one. Since I first joined Amethyst, we’ve been interested in entering the market, it was just a matter of identifying the right opportunity. 

“I genuinely believe acquiring Júlio Teixeira was the best opportunity we could have found to enter the market. The centres enjoy a very strong reputation; they’re really considered to be among the best centres in radiotherapy.” 

CyberKnife

An important milestone of this acquisition is that the clinic in Porto features CyberKnife, the only one in the country, with Mr Carré noting that this integration will enhance Amethyst’s treatment offering and deliver “valuable expertise and knowledge” that can be leveraged across the wider group.

The hope now is that this move will enable further expansion in Portugal, with other potential acquisition targets now under consideration in the main cities and the south of the country.

Radiotherapy treatment - photo of bladder

Can Radiotherapy Reduce Secondary Bladder Cancer Risk?

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The value of radiotherapy treatment for cancer has grown exponentially over the years. When it was first used in the early 20th century, its effects were merely palliative and while that is still a use for it today, there is now so much more that can be achieved, with some patients making a full recovery and being able to live cancer-free.

Advances have come from three sources. Firstly, this came through a better understanding of radiation itself. Secondly, through the development of ever more sophisticated devices, which have been able to deliver doses of radiotherapy with greater precision both in terms of the amount of radiation given and the accuracy of it.

A third area of advancement has been the use of studies to establish how particular uses of radiotherapy in certain situations may be effective in bringing about better patient outcomes.

The impact of this aspect may be more incremental than the other two, and some discoveries relate only to specific circumstances, but each such advance will benefit many patients.

The latter case may be particularly useful when treating secondary cancer, as by its very nature it is often unpredictable; once a cancer spreads beyond its area of origin, the treatment will need to be tailored according to where else in the body the cancer starts to manifest itself.

A Pelvic Relapse Breakthrough

A recent example of research that can advance treatment for secondary cancer was presented at the recent annual meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).

It relates to the use of radiotherapy in the wake of surgery for bladder cancer and its effect in preventing the recurrence of muscle-invasive secondary cancer in the pelvic region.

The Phase III  Bladder Adjuvant RadioTherapy (BART) study, which was carried out at hospitals across India, found that the use of adjuvant radiotherapy for patients who had undergone surgery to remove their bladder had greatly reduced instances of postoperative secondary cancer in the pelvis.

This was achieved with acceptable toxicity and no unexpected safety signals for patients.

In the study, the group undergoing the adjuvant radiotherapy only experienced muscle-invasive secondary cancer in eight per cent of cases, compared with 26 per cent for a control group without the therapy.

The Significance Of The Findings

Speaking about the findings, principal investigator for the trial Dr Vedang Murthy, a professor of oncology based at the Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai, said: “This is one of the first studies and the largest randomised trial to show that post-operative radiation therapy can meaningfully reduce pelvic relapses in bladder cancer.”

Noting that “pelvic relapse can be devastating for patients – extremely painful and almost impossible to treat,” he added: “Our research shows that modern radiation therapy offers a safe way to prevent many of these recurrences and improve patients’ quality of life.”

The significance of this particular piece of research is twofold. Firstly, this is one of the more predictable forms of secondary cancer. In the US, around a third of patients with bladder cancer suffer secondary cancer due to tumours growing beyond the lining of the bladder into the muscle wall and invading the muscles of the surrounding area.

That means this research is not likely to be a ‘niche’ discovery that will only benefit a few patients, but become a common treatment that will help as many as a third of bladder cancer sufferers.

Multiple Ways Of Using Radiotherapy

A second important fact to note is the role of adjuvant radiotherapy. Some patients might imagine radiotherapy is either to attack the primary cancer that they were first diagnosed with, or to fight a secondary cancer after it has developed.

However, this use of radiotherapy is a prime example of a third method of use, acting as an effective preventative measure against recurrent secondary cancer.

Discoveries of this kind help radiation oncologists to offer a wider range of treatments to patients at various stages of their patient journey, improving the prospects of better outcomes.

Other Radiotherapy Advances For Secondary Cancer

This research was far from the only new research presented to the ASTRO meeting about the effectiveness of treatments in helping to fight secondary cancer.

For example, a trial by the University of California in Los Angeles revealed that a combination of stereotactic radiotherapy for limited metastatic prostate cancer could be made more effective when combined with a radiopharmaceutical, a drug that adds radiation to a ligand, a molecule that attaches itself to cancer proteins throughout the body.

The use of radiotherapy will continue to become more precisely calibrated, either on its own or in combination with other treatments. We may be able to bring the latest techniques and technology to bear on your condition, providing the best treatment available to you to seek an optimal outcome.

Learn more about our advanced radiotherapy treatments for secondary cancers on the Amethyst Group website.

stereotactic body radiotherapy - x-ray scan results from doctor

Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy ‘Effective’ For Lung Cancer

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There are many different kinds of radiotherapy, and the effectiveness of selecting one form over another is becoming increasingly apparent as research highlights the relative value of different approaches for particular conditions.

This extends to comparisons between using various methods of delivering radiotherapy and alternative treatments.

In practice, many cancers are treated using a combination of radiotherapy with other treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy and targeted drugs, rather than as an alternative. Nonetheless, much research has taken place to help reveal the effectiveness of each approach.

New Study Highlights Value Of Stereotactic Radiosurgery

The latest case may be particularly valuable for anyone who is suffering from lung cancer.

New research has indicated that using stereotactic body radiotherapy for a common form of lung cancer known as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in its early stages (Stage I) can be as effective at extending survival times for patients as invasive surgery.

Across a range of metrics, the long-term outcomes for patients who underwent stereotactic body radiotherapy and those undergoing surgery were very similar.

This procedure would be best suited to peripheral, small (typically ≤5 cm) stage I NSCLC, medically inoperable patients, or selected operable patients preferring non-surgical care/at higher surgical risk. Central tumours require modified fractionation and stricter dose constraints.

Research carried out via the STARS trial has been presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology to highlight these findings.

According to the presentation, the trial, which was carried out over ten years, involved two groups of 80 patients, one of which was treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy, while the other underwent a form of surgery known as a video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy.

How The Study Was Conducted

All of the patients were treated at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Centre between 2015 and 2017, having been deemed well enough to undergo either procedure, with the time elapsed between then and 2025 enabling the researchers to accurately assess the comparative survival rates. The median patient follow-up time was 8.3 years.

Senior author of the study, Dr Joe Chang, revealed: “Our study confirms, based on a decade of data, that stereotactic body radiotherapy is a strong alternative to surgery for most patients with operable stage I NSCLC.”

Moreover, there may be additional benefits compared with the surgical option, with Dr Chang adding: ”This highly targeted, non-invasive treatment achieved the same long-term overall survival as lobectomy, while offering many patients an easier recovery and potentially better quality of life.”

He noted that the use of stereotactic body radiotherapy in this fashion is fairly new, as “surgery historically was the only standard option for early-stage NSCLC.” Unfortunately, around half of patients treated surgically suffer significant side effects, he added.

This study was, Dr Chang highlighted, the first of its kind carried out to compare outcomes over a ten-year period, as well as involving more patients than previous studies. This provides new evidence of the effectiveness of this form of radiotherapy for early-stage NSCLC.

In the case of the patients treated at the Anderson Cancer Centre, the radiation was delivered in very precise doses in five sessions or fewer.

Comparing Side Effects

This fact has significant implications for side effects. Radiotherapy is never free from side-effects and patients can experience symptoms such as skin soreness and nausea.

However, this can be placed in perspective when compared with the outcomes for those undergoing surgery for NSCLC. Those suffering side effects from surgery will find that they’re affected differently to those who have undergone radiotherapy, especially stereotactic radiotherapy.

This is partly because the side effects of radiation exposure wear off over time, which patients will notice from positive signs such as their appetite returning and their hair growing back.

Secondly, because stereotactic body radiotherapy is so precise, fewer sessions will be needed and there is less exposure to radiation for healthy tissue, which reduces the side effects.

The Future Of Lung Cancer Treatment

Given the similarity of long-term outcomes but the comparative advantage of stereotactic body radiotherapy in tackling NSCLC, it may be that it becomes the preferred treatment for treating this form of lung cancer going forward.

Overall, lung cancer may become progressively less common as smoking rates decline around the globe, although there are (albeit rare) forms of the disease that can be contracted by non-smokers, and it will remain a common cancer for many years to come, even as many countries seek to phase out smoking.

Highlighting this fact, the STARS survey presentation noted there will be an estimated 226,650 new cases diagnosed in the US alone in 2025. 85 per cent of them will be NSCLC.

This means research like the STARS survey, which highlights the value of stereotactic body radiotherapy, will still be very valuable. If you have been diagnosed with NSCLC, our radiotherapy centre may be able to provide advanced treatment from which you can benefit greatly.

Learn more about our advanced radiotherapy treatments for lung cancer on the Amethyst Group website.

Radiotherapy treatment - loving couple facing her cancer together

How Can Radiotherapy Help Treat Secondary Cancers?

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A cancer diagnosis is a major event in the life of any patient and the response needs to involve both medical and personal support, with an important combination of the two coming through each patient being provided with plenty of information and understanding about their treatment options.

Most patients will have limited knowledge of cancer at the outset, particularly if the particular kind with which they have been diagnosed is among the less common types, but it is also important to be aware of how situations can change.

In particular, there is the distinction between primary and secondary cancer, which has major implications both for the prognosis and the kind of treatment options that may be most suitable. This can include changes to the way that radiotherapy treatment may be given.

Secondary Cancer Explained

Every cancer starts off as a primary cancer, with the disease arising in a particular part of the body. Common examples include the brain, lungs, breast, colon, prostate and skin.

Secondary cancer is what occurs when the primary cancer spreads beyond the area where it has started into other parts of the body, a process known as metastasis. This happens when cancer cells break away and spread through the blood or lymphatic system.

Occasionally, a form of cancer known as cancer of unknown primary can occur, where a diagnosis of secondary cancer has taken place and it is not clear where it started as a primary cancer.

This may occur because the original cancer was very small, while the secondary cancer has grown quickly. Occasionally, the immune system successfully attacks the primary cancer while the secondary one starts to spread.

Late diagnosis is not the reason for a cancer of unknown primary, as in most cases, the location of origin can still be easily identified, since the cancer is very prominent there. For instance, a malignant brain tumour will still be present even after metastasis.

Causes Of Metastasis

How metastasis occurs is still a matter of debate and a topic of much research. For instance, a recent paper produced by the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Centre has indicated a possible link between the consumption of added sugars in soft drinks and fruit juices and metastasis from colorectal cancer.

If this finding is corroborated by further research, this may help reduce such instances by making the abstinence from such drinks an imperative for those diagnosed with primary colorectal cancers.

However, this link, if proven, may have little or no relevance to other cancers. Medical science is still a very long way from being able to prevent metastasis.

Radiotherapy Options

Secondary cancer often means new treatment approaches are required, not least when it comes to radiotherapy.

For some primary cancers, radiotherapy can be very precisely directed, a technique known as stereotactic radiotherapy. This will use very precise beams of intense radiation to target specific locations, such as a tumour, while minimising exposure to surrounding tissue.

However, in the case of secondary cancer, a different form of radiotherapy may be required.

It is not simply a case of undergoing full-body radiotherapy, as if the best approach would be to treat the entire anatomy. Metastatic cancer does not suddenly affect the entire body, but spreads from one part to another.

For example, metastatic breast cancer may migrate to the bones, with treatment being given to the affected area.

If the metastasis takes the cancer to areas close to or touching sensitive organs or the brain, stereotactic radiotherapy may be used. In other instances, internal radiotherapy may be given. This is where the radioactive material is put in an implant that is inserted into the body close to the affected area.

The aim of such treatment is fundamentally the same as with primary cancer, aiming to shrink tumours and prevent the cancer spreading by using radiation to disrupt the DNA of cancer cells, which damages their ability to reproduce and multiply.

Internal radiotherapy may be used, particularly for conditions like metastatic bone pain and metastases to the liver. While it’s not a common treatment for all types of metastasis, its use is growing for specific applications.

What To Expect

In the most favourable cases, this can ultimately lead to a patient winning their battle against cancer and ultimately becoming cancer-free. When this is not the case, it can still extend life and, in palliative care settings, reduce discomfort.

If you have been unhappy with your treatment so far and are seeking private radiotherapy, the progression of cancer from primary to secondary will pose new challenges. However, we can offer a combination of leading expertise, the most advanced technology and a personalised approach to care that will ensure the treatment is tailored to your needs.

Not only will this be undertaken with the aim of providing the best patient outcomes, but to ensure that you are involved, informed and feel confident you are getting the best care at every stage in the process.

At Amethyst Radiotherapy, we plan metastatic care with a multidisciplinary team and deliver SBRT/SRS, VMAT/IMRT and image-guided radiotherapy to target secondary lesions precisely while sparing healthy tissue.

Learn more about our advanced radiotherapy for metastatic cancer on the Amethyst Group website.

Radiotherapy treatment - blood samples

How Radiotherapy Can Help In Treating Blood Cancer

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Blood cancer is one of the most common categories of cancer, accounting for up to ten per cent of cancer diagnoses. Among the most familiar forms are leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma.

These can come in different sub-categories:

Leukaemia types include acute myeloid leukaemia. This impacts the myeloid cells and causes a loss of white blood cell production, which undermines the immune system.

Lymphomas include Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin types, the latter being significantly more aggressive.

Because these are prominent kinds of cancer, much research and development work has taken place into discovering, enhancing and refining treatments for them, which includes radiotherapy treatment. This means many medical resources can be deployed to tackle blood cancer.

Advances In Blood Cancer Treatment

The progress that has been made in producing better outcomes is highlighted in the UK each September, which is Blood Cancer Awareness Month. Organised by the charity Blood Cancer UK, it aims to raise awareness of these conditions, arguing that they receive less attention and research funding than other forms of cancer.

However, it also has a good news story to tell, with studies showing that myeloma survival rates have approximately doubled in recent years. Such improvements do not just help patients in Britain, but all around the world.

Blood cancer treatments are now more numerous and effective than they used to be and include some therapies that did not even exist a few years ago.

Part of the reason there is a wide array of treatments is that the different cancers will each have their own elements that can be impacted more effectively by specific treatments. Chemotherapy is widely used and immunotherapy drugs are increasingly deployed.

Radiotherapy For Blood Cancer

Even so, radiotherapy still has a significant role to play. Indeed, this has also become more advanced to the benefit of patients. It can be targeted more precisely than ever when this approach (known as stereotactic radiotherapy) is required.

Lymphoma and multiple myeloma cancers are among those that are commonly targeted using radiotherapy. This is because they originate in blood-forming tissues, either in bone marrow or immune cells.

Radiotherapy can have multiple beneficial effects. Firstly, similar to how it works with other conditions, it destroys cancer cells in the bloodstream.

Secondly, it can have a therapeutic benefit by easing some of the symptoms of the cancer. This includes reducing the pain of swelling from an enlarged liver, spleen or lymph nodes and reducing the bone marrow pain caused by the damage done to it by cancerous cells.

When Stereotactic Radiotherapy May Be Used

Stereotactic radiotherapy, which uses very precise beams of radiation to deliver high doses of radiation to specific areas while minimising exposure for sensitive adjacent organs and tissue, can be extremely effective and invaluable in treating many cancers that exist close to vital organs. Stereotactic radiotherapy is selectively used for blood cancer.

Examples of this include blood cancer affecting the chest and abdomen, or in the neck and head in the case of Hodgkin Lymphoma.

Our cancer treatment services include the capacity to deliver stereotactic radiotherapy using some of the most advanced equipment, aided by the most accurate scanning technology available.

Whole Body Radiotherapy

However, radiation therapy can also be given in other ways. In some cases, whole body radiotherapy is given. This is commonly used for leukaemia patients before stem cell transplants. Lymphoma and myeloma patients may also receive this treatment.

Here, you would lie prone on a table while the radiation is delivered by a Linac machine. This can move around the patient and be used to direct radiation wherever it is required.

In cases of location-specific cancer, meanwhile, radiation will be targeted at certain areas.

The Side Effects Of Radiotherapy For Blood Cancer

As with radiotherapy for any form of cancer, there will likely be some side effects. These can include fatigue, hair loss, a reduction in appetite, diminished libido, skin changes (including dryness and soreness) and, on occasion, diarrhoea and stomach upsets. If you are undergoing chemotherapy as well, this will also produce some side effects.

However, it is important to remember that the side effects of radiotherapy, while unpleasant, are not permanent in most instances. For example, after treatment ends, you will find your appetite returns and if you have lost your hair, it will start to grow back.

If you have any of the common blood cancers, or even a rarer type, you may feel unhappy with the treatment given so far. Using the best technology and the most advanced treatments and techniques, our private radiotherapy centres may offer a better approach.

We specialise in radiotherapy, but offer chemotherapy as well, which may be particularly effective for your condition when the two approaches are used in combination.

Learn more about our advanced radiotherapy for different blood cancers on the Amethyst Group website.

Radiotherapy Centre - Body scanner equipment in oncology departmen

How Using AI May Increase The Precision Of Radiotherapy

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The purpose of a modern radiotherapy centre like ours is somewhat different from those established long ago, when the technology involved and the medical understanding of it were in their infancy.

Radiotherapy has been used therapeutically since the turn of the 20th century. But in the early years, it was only able to have a palliative effect on patients with a terminal cancer diagnosis. Although it can still be used this way, extending life in the process, it now offers many more possibilities, including the promise of a full recovery for many.

Advances in treatment have been partly aided by increasing understanding of radiation and its effects on the human body, as well as the capacity to deliver radiation in ever more precise ways.

The Benefits Of Stereotactic Radiotherapy

The most precise form of radiation delivery is known as stereotactic radiotherapy, which uses very concentrated beams of radiotherapy to target tumours while minimising exposure to surrounding tissue. It is commonly used in areas where precise aim is of particular importance, such as the brain, lungs or spinal cord.

That has been possible both through the development of new technology, with Gamma Knife being a prime case in point, as well as scanning technology to identify exactly where precise beams of radiation can be aimed.

Not only does this raise the prospect of treating the cancer more effectively, especially when it is a primary cancer that can be targeted in one specific location, but the lack of exposure of the surrounding tissue and reduced number of appointments required to deliver the required dosage can both minimise the side-effects and maximise the impact of the treatment.

For this reason, we have invested in the latest and most precise equipment to provide patients with radiotherapy. In the future, we will continue to do so as new innovations emerge.

Amethyst & AI In Radiotherapy Treatment

At Amethyst Healthcare Group, we already use AI in radiotherapy planning and tumour contouring.

 

Out of the three stages (planning, contouring and treatment delivery), AI currently supports the first two, while dose distribution is earlier in integration but progressing. In image analysis, AI can match or exceed human performance in spotting early signs of cancer, as we expand diagnostics, we will integrate these tools to strengthen prevention.

How AI Innovation Could Help Cancer Patients

Among the areas of great potential at present is artificial intelligence (AI). While the wider impact of AI on society and economies has been widely debated, the evidence is that it can bring some significant medical benefits.

The latest instance of this is research produced by the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, published in Digital Medicine. Experts at the institute have developed a new multi-modal deep learning model that can improve decision-making over the delivery of precision radiation.

Focusing on cervical cancer, this research set out to tackle the problem that while 70 per cent of patients can be successfully treated and cancer-free, the rest suffer metastasis (where cancer spreads into other parts of the body) and therefore face a worse prognosis and the prospect of extensive further treatment.

Machine Learning May Solve Treatment Dilemma

Although more intense treatment can reduce the risk of metastasis, this will produce more toxicity and the side effects that come with it. However, the researchers found, the AI innovation has made it possible to judge more precisely exactly where radiation should be directed, meaning less treatment is required to achieve optimal outcomes.

Known as CerviPro and using CT technology to assess patients and make judgments, it has been tested on 1,018 patients in Chinese hospitals, with very promising results. In particular, it proved very effective at distinguishing between high and low-risk patients when it came to the likelihood of metastasis.

This development is not, in itself, an innovation that can deliver stereotactic radiation with greater precision than existing devices. What it is, however, is a means of assisting in decision-making that can help achieve a better balance between maximising treatment to tackle cancer and minimising the side effects.

Why Side Effects Should Be Minimised Where Possible

Anyone who has had some radiotherapy already will be familiar with common side effects, such as fatigue, hair loss, skin problems, digestive issues, and, occasionally, reduced immunity caused by a low red blood cell count.

None of these are permanent issues, of course; for example, your hair will grow back after treatment and your appetite will return to normal. Nonetheless, the course of treatment will be easier for patients if the radiation exposure and its side effects are minimised.

Looking To The Future

The use of AI in the Shenzhen research may be just one of many innovations to come from that quarter that will help enable even more precise and well-calibrated delivery of radiotherapy. Alongside this may come yet greater precision tools for delivering beams of radiation.

Some of this will be for the future and therefore not be of benefit to patients in the present. However, we have always sought to acquire and use the most advanced equipment currently available and the best possible techniques associated with it to offer the best treatment to cancer patients.

Indeed, while AI may be the technology of tomorrow, many of the devices and methods we use today were once in that same category.

Learn more about our advanced radiotherapy treatments for different cancers on the Amethyst Group website.

Private chemotherapy treatment - Oncologist turning on device IV drip chemotherapy

How Private Chemotherapy Can Help Ovarian Cancer Patients

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Cancers come in many different forms, but one thing they all have in common is that early diagnosis can make a significant difference to outcomes and treatments.

The sooner a cancer is spotted, the less it will have progressed and a particular benefit for the patient can be when a cancer can be treated before it can go through metastasis, the process in which it starts to become secondary cancer by spreading from its original site to other parts of the body.

However, even with early detection, you may need significant treatment. This can include private chemotherapy treatment as part of the treatment process.

New Test Raises Hopes For Early Ovarian Cancer Detection

The prospects of more cases of ovarian cancer being detected early appear to have taken a giant leap forward following new research carried out in the UK and the US.

Scientists at the Universities of Manchester and Colorado have found that a new test can detect biomarkers for ovarian cancer with more accuracy than existing tests.

In Colorado, the tests showed a 93 per cent accuracy for all stage detection and 91 per cent for early-stage cancer. In Manchester, the respective figures were 92 per cent and 88 per cent.

The test was developed by diagnostics company AOA Dx. Reflecting on the results, the company’s chief science officer, Abigail McElhinny, said: “This platform offers a great opportunity to improve the early diagnosis of ovarian cancer potentially resulting in better patient outcomes and lower costs to the healthcare system.”

At present, 90 per cent of women with ovarian cancer have symptoms when the cancer is in stage 1, but only 20 per cent of cases are detected that early.

If you have been diagnosed, it may very well be that the disease has progressed beyond stage 1, which is when the cancer is confined to an ovary or fallopian tube. At stage 2a, it spreads to the uterus and, in stage 2b, can be found in other locations in the pelvic region.

Only at stage 3 does it spread to the lymph nodes, at which point the cancer can reach other parts of the body away from the pelvic region.

The Role Of Chemotherapy In Ovarian Cancer Treatment

Whatever stage you are at after diagnosis, chemotherapy may play a significant role in treatment. This is most commonly used before or after surgery to remove the ovaries.

There are different ways in which this may be administered. Chemotherapy drugs can be given in pill form or administered via a drip, depending on which drug is used and what stage the cancer is at. The drugs are toxic to the cancer cells and can target them effectively.

Understanding how chemotherapy works is important for any cancer patient, but it may be especially true for cancers like ovarian cancer, which is seldom treated with radiotherapy. This is in contrast with some cancers where radiotherapy and chemotherapy are sometimes used in combination.

How Chemotherapy Drugs Work

The main way in which the drugs work is by damaging the capacity of the cancer cells to multiply. Like other cells, they do this by dividing, and different chemotherapy medications will impede this process in various ways.

Some attack the nucleus, where the control centre that launches the process of division is housed. Other drugs might disrupt the chemical processes in division, damage the cells as they divide to stop them from making accurate copies of their DNA (which stops further replication), or damage cells at the point of division.

Because there are these four different ways in which chemotherapy can attack cancer cells, there are multiple options for tackling cancer. That might include using one particular kind of drug to target it in a specific way, or a cocktail of different drugs to launch a multi-front assault on the cells.

In the best-case scenarios, these will remove any remaining cancerous cells after surgery, enabling the patient to go into remission.

Tailoring Treatment To Individuals

Our approach to private chemotherapy treatment is to treat everyone as an individual. This means each patient’s needs are assessed to deliver precisely the right treatment. This is designed to ensure the right drug is given, in the correct dosage and that the treatment is continued for the correct length of time, with adjustments when required.

This will also involve helping you to understand factors such as the side effects of chemotherapy and how you and your loved ones can cope with them. These can include gastrointestinal upsets, nausea and vomiting, fatigue, anaemia and a weakened immune system.

It is central to our approach that you not only get the best treatment, but are kept informed all the way, with full explanations of the treatment, its effects and side-effects. In doing all this, we will provide you with the best care possible.

Learn more about our advanced chemotherapy treatments for different cancers on the Amethyst Group website.

Amethyst Radiotherapy - Man holding light Blue Ribbon

Study Favours Radiotherapy Over Surgery For Prostate Cancer

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Prostate cancer is a major health issue for men across the world, especially those aged over 50. Although the risk varies significantly with factors such as ethnicity, family history, age and so on, it is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men, affecting one in eight at some point in their lifetimes.

For this reason, finding the right treatment for each patient is a high priority. Not every prostate cancer is the same and some treatments (such as hormonal therapy) can work effectively for some patients, but not others. This is why personalised care is particularly important.

However, at Radiotherapy Healthcare Group, we know that radiotherapy can be an effective treatment, potentially used alongside other treatments (such as surgery, chemotherapy or hormonal therapy) that also play a part in a cancer management programme.

A key question for many patients and their oncologists often arises when the decision to be made lies between using surgery and radiotherapy. Surgery can have a lot of lasting (and often permanent) side-effects, including some loss of urinary and sexual function, which means radiotherapy can be preferable from a quality of life perspective.

New Study Supports Radiotherapy Over Surgery

New research from the United States has indicated that in the case of high-risk prostate cancer, radiotherapy is a better option than surgery. The study, by experts at the University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center in Cleveland, Ohio, was published in European Urology Oncology.

It stated that when faced with high-risk cancer (defined as having a greater than normal chance of metastasis, which is when it spreads to other parts of the body to become secondary cancer), radiotherapy was more effective in preventing this from happening.

The key finding was that a combination of radiotherapy and androgen deprivation therapy reduced distant metastases by 32 per cent more over an eight-year period than the surgical option of radical prostatectomy.

Speaking to Medscape Medical News, one of the study’s authors, Daniel Spratt MD, said: “While it’s not a head-to-head randomized trial between surgery and radiation plus ADT, it provides compelling comparative data suggesting that radiotherapy plus ADT may not just be equivalent.”

Instead, he added, the radiotherapy treatment “might be better when it comes to controlling disease and reducing treatment escalation.”

More Research Needed

Dr Spratt acknowledged that the study “moves the needle but does not end the debate”, which means further research is required. Nonetheless, it does suggest that the best available evidence at present points to the preference of radiotherapy over surgery in high-risk prostate cancers.

Because the findings are tentative, they will require peer review and there is some scepticism about the findings.

Medscape Research News also spoke to William Kelly, head of oncology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, who said the question of whether radiotherapy for this kind of cancer was the best option has “still not been answered”.

Nonetheless, it is studies of this kind that can mark the first step in a new understanding of what can be achieved by radiotherapy. Indeed, if more research backs up the study from Cleveland, the next stage may involve examining whether some methods of delivering radiotherapy are better calibrated than others to maximise the benefits.

Another Shift Away From Prostate Surgery?

The new study is not the only recent development with the potential to swing medical opinion in favour of alternatives to prostate cancer surgery.

Last month, British charity Prostate Cancer UK criticised what it called ‘outdated’ recommendations for slow-developing prostate cancer by government regulatory body the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which it said were leading to around 5,000 unnecessary surgeries every year.

It argued that NICE had failed to update guidance despite the knowledge that many slow-growing prostate cancers take so long to become a serious health risk that they won’t impact the patients in their lifetimes, in which case any side-effects from surgery, such as incontinence and impotence, may be suffered without due cause.

The charity revealed that its campaign on the issue brought a rapid response from NICE, which has expedited a review of its guidance. The last update of the guidance was made in 2021.

Personalised Care Matters

Although this particular review could lead to a greater focus on monitoring rather than surgery instead of increasing the use of radiotherapy, it does go to show that as medical science advances (both in terms of diagnostics and treatments), guidance can be amended and surgery can become less favoured.

If, therefore, you have prostate cancer and are unhappy with the treatment given so far, we may be able to offer an alternative through a fresh, evidence-based and personalised approach that makes use of the very latest treatments and understanding of your condition.

Learn more about our advanced radiotherapy treatments for prostate cancer on the Radiotherapy Healthcare Group website.