The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) has recommended Papillon, a low-energy X-ray treatment, for use within the NHS. The therapy is designed for fit patients with rectal cancer whose tumours are 3cm or smaller, and who either choose not to undergo surgery or are at high risk for such procedures.
Papillon is a form of brachytherapy that involves inserting an X-ray tube through the anus into the rectum to deliver precise, low doses of radiation directly to the tumour. A key benefit is that patients may avoid the need for a stoma, an abdominal opening that diverts waste into an external bag, which Nice says “substantially improves” quality of life.
The treatment was pioneered by Professor Sun Myint, a consultant clinical oncologist at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in Merseyside, who has treated around 3,000 patients over 33 years. He led the Opera trial, which followed patients for five years and found that Papillon helped preserve organs in 93% of cases where tumours measured 3cm or less.
Sharon Price, an NHS worker from Newcastle-under-Lyme, was successfully treated as part of the trial after being diagnosed with rectal cancer at 45. She said: “I was faced with the possibility of surgery, which would mean that I’d have to live with a stoma for the rest of my life. That was devastating – I was just too young to have to go through that.”
Dr Caroline Brammer, medical director at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, said: “This development will help reduce surgical waiting lists and costs to the NHS and improve quality of life for many patients with rectal cancer.” Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK, with more than 41,000 new cases diagnosed annually.
