Patients raise Â£25k for prostate cancer biopsy machine

Patients at St Richard’s, Worthing and Southlands Hospitals had to travel out of West Sussex to get this treatment. But the new £85,000 machine at St Richard’s Hospital, Chichester, will allow men to be treated locally. The money was raised by local members of the Prostate Cancer Support Organisation, the largest patient-run support organisation for prostate cancer in the country. Roger Bacon from Rustington is chairman of the organisation. He said: “The new equipment is a huge step forward in making diagnosis easier and more accurate. Prostate cancer patients along the south coast have worked to raise money and we are pleased to help supply the state of the art systems to our local hospitals.” Almost every prostate cancer patient has to have samples taken of their cancer tumour so that doctors can see how aggressive the cancer is, and the biopsy is part of the diagnosis. The new equipment draws together ultrasound and MRI scan information, presenting it on a screen, which enables the surgeon to accurately pinpoint the tumour to get the required samples. Potentially infectious areas are avoided and because the patient is asleep he is more comfortable. Figures suggest that 40,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year in UK and around 10,000 die of it. The earlier it is diagnosed the more likely it will be treated effectively. Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live. Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on. 1) Make our website your homepage 2) Like our Facebook page 3) Follow us on Twitter 4) Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here. And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out! Always the first with your local news. Be part of it.