9:45am Monday 28th July 2008
By Citizen newsdesk
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust will become a new regional specialist centre for the treatment of gullet (oesophagus) and stomach cancers.
The Trust has been designated as the regional centre for oesophago-gastric cancer and will treat patients from across Lancashire and Cumbria.
A new surgery unit will be developed at The Fulwood-based Royal Preston Hospital and it is set to be one of the largest such centres in the UK performing over 100 complex cancer operations every year.
Three consultants from other Trusts in the region will join the team bringing the total number of specialist surgeons up to six.
The unit will be housed on part of the existing Ribblesdale cancer ward at the hospital.
To make way for the new unit, a £3million scheme is in the pipeline to extend the Rosemere Cancer centre to create new outpatients and daycase facilities for cancer patients.
This will see outpatient and daycase cancer care, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment, brought under one-roof at the hospital.
Mr Muntzer Mughal, Consultant Surgeon and Clinical Director for the Surgical Directorate, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This is a major development for the Trust.
"The centre will become one of the three biggest upper GI operating units in the country.
"Services will transfer from across the region to the new unit to provide the best surgical care for the people of Cumbria and Lancashire with these cancers.
“We hope to carry out research at the centre into cancers which affect the oesophagus and stomach and trial new techniques, such as keyhole surgery and take part in major trials of new chemotherapy.”
He added: “We are very excited about this centre which promises to be a prestigious unit.”
Existing Upper GI surgery services will transfer from Chorley and South Rabble Hospital to the new unit at Royal Preston Hospital with Chorley and South Ribble Hospital expanding its day case provision for intermediary surgery procedures such as a cholecystectomy, which is the removal of the gall bladder.
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