Specialist cancer procedure comes to the Horton General Hospital

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has expanded its oesophageal cancer service at the Horton General Hospital through the introduction of specialist equipment funded by Oxford Hospitals Charity.

Patients with confirmed oesophageal or stomach cancer can now undergo ‘staging laparoscopy’ at the Horton, whereas previously the procedure was only available at the Churchill Hospital.

The keyhole procedure takes place under general anaesthetic, and a small camera is inserted into the abdomen to assess whether cancer has spread.

The results determine the ‘stage’ of the disease, to help plan the best possible treatment for each individual.

Thanks to a reorganisation of the service and £153,000 of funding from the charity for the new equipment, day-case patients can now be offered the procedure more quickly and for some, closer to home.

Richard Gillies, Consultant Upper GI Surgeon and Clinical Lead Upper GI Surgery at OUH, said: “Being able to diagnose oesophageal and stomach cancer quickly and put together the right treatment plan for each individual patient is so important.

“We currently have around 15 patients a month who need this procedure, and previously they were waiting on average two to three weeks from their consultation to the staging laparoscopy, due to demand on theatre time at the Churchill.

“Now, by using capacity at the Horton theatres and with this specialist equipment, we expect to reduce this to just one week, meaning decisions can be made sooner, and the right treatment can begin earlier.

He added: “The first procedures took place at the Horton in August and went extremely well. There really is a positive feeling about this throughout the whole team.”

One of the first patients to be seen was 64-year-old Susan Evans from Bicester.

Susan, who works in the local Tesco and is a grandmother of two, had the procedure at the end of August, just three days before her wedding.

She said: “The Horton is easier for me to get to, so I was pleased that this could take place there, and I was also eager that the date didn’t clash with my wedding!

“So having the certainty and the speed of the appointment was really appreciated. And once my wedding was over, I could move forward with the right treatment.

“The team were brilliant, and it was all done very quickly.

“It’s a difficult time, but I am a very positive person, with lots of family around me – and there’s no point in dwelling on it all too much. I am so grateful to all the hospital staff and the charity for all their help.”

Hazel Murray, Interim CEO at Oxford Hospitals Charity, said: “It’s fantastic to hear that the equipment is already in and making such a difference for patients.

"Technology moves fast and our charity is always thrilled to fund state-of-the-art equipment like this that can support innovative ways of helping cancer patients.”

Simon Crowther, Interim CEO at OUH, said: “Waiting for tests and treatment decisions can be an incredibly difficult time for patients and their families. So, we are really pleased to now offer staging laparoscopy at the Horton. We are very grateful to the clinical team and also to Oxford Hospitals Charity for funding this specialist equipment. It would not have been possible without their kind support.”

Thank you to all those whose generosity enables the charity to fund important equipment like this, making such a difference for patients. Find out more about donations to Oxford Hospitals Charity.