- A wand that zaps fluid-filled pancreatic cysts is being trialled by the NHS
- The procedure – which kills suspicious cells – takes just 90 seconds
- It is called endoscopic ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation
Roger Dobson for The Mail on Sunday
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A wand that zaps fluid-filled pancreatic cysts before they can turn into one of the most lethal forms of cancer is being trialled by NHS doctors across Britain.
The procedure takes just 90 seconds, during which a blast of radio-frequency heat is sent into the cyst through a thin metal wire, killing suspicious cells.
The new treatment is called endoscopic ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation, and is carried out under sedation as a day case.
An endoscope is passed through the throat and into the stomach, from where the needle is inserted into the pancreas. Once in place, a radiofrequency generator creates heat that passes down the wire.
Once in place, a radiofrequency (stock photo) generator creates heat that passes down the wire
‘Increasing numbers of these cysts, some which can become malignant, are being detected incidentally when people have scans for abnormal conditions like diverticulitis,’ says consultant gastroenterologist Professor Stephen Pereira, of the Royal Free Hospital and University College Hospital London.
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One study found that 13.5 per cent of patients who have a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the abdomen for unrelated symptoms will have a cyst. The frequency increases with age.
According to Cancer Research UK data, only one patient in 100 survives for ten years or more after diagnosis
When found, pre-malignant cysts are currently either monitored or removed surgically. Survival rates are low for cancer of the pancreas, a 6in-long gland behind the stomach that produces digestive juices and insulin.
According to Cancer Research UK data, only one patient in 100 survives for ten years or more after diagnosis. Early detection is crucial for improving survival.
Prof Pereira added: ‘We are carrying out the procedure on an initial 100 patients and will then review the results.’
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