THIS WEEK IN 1996: New hope for larynx cancer patients

Pioneering cancer treatment at a Portsmouth hospital was hailed a success for saving patients' voices.

The Cancer Research Campaign said intensive radiotherapy on patients with cancer of the larynx increased their chance of keeping their voice box by 40 per cent.

During trials, 32 patients were given radiotherapy three times a day, seven days a week for 12 days at Portsmouth Oncology Centre at St Mary's Hospital, Milton.

Under traditional methods, patients were given radiotherapy once a day from Monday to Friday for six-and-a-half weeks.

Dr David Boote, consultant in clinical oncology, said that some cancer tumours grew very quickly in between treatment.

But by giving radiotherapy three times a day, the tumour had less chance to grow.

It also reduced the chance of the tumour returning.