As part of The Hospital Research Foundation Group , The Longest Table is celebrating the delivery of the 1000th dose of a specialised treatment used to treat patients with Neuroendocrine Tumours (NETs), a rare form of cancer.
The specialised treatment, called LuTate therapy, is only available in South Australia thanks to the expert South Australia Medical Imaging (SAMI) team at the Nuclear Medicine Department in The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (TQEH).
The 1000 doses of LuTate therapy have been delivered to 229 patients living with neuroendocrine cancer since April 2011.
SAMI’s Nuclear Medicine department at TQEH is the only centre in South Australia or the Northern Territory delivering the breakthrough treatment.
The treatment is helping patients to improve their quality of life and increases their overall survival equal to other national and international centres of excellence.
Neuroendocrine tumours are an uncommon type of cancer which forms in cells that are found throughout the body, but mainly in the intestines, bowel, pancreas and lungs.
1000th dose patient Manny Haghigi with nurse Jess Mercurio
More than 29,000 Australians currently live with neuroendocrine cancer and a further 5,000 cases are diagnosed in Australia every year. The survival rate varies significantly from patient to patient.
Currently, one in four patients attending the service travel to the TQEH from regional and remote locations. Many use the Under Our Roof accommodation provided by The Hospital Research Foundation Group to support their treatment.
LuTate Therapy is a highly targeted, internal radiotherapy treatment given intravenously (via a drip).
It has been proven to be very effective in controlling advanced, metastatic or inoperable neuroendocrine tumours.
South Australia Medical Imaging, Associate Professor Gabby Cehic AM reflects on the milestone:
“It has been a privilege to work with my team over the ensuing years to treat the many patients entrusted to our care."
"For each of our patients, this treatment has given them the precious gift of more time with their loved ones, and a better quality of life."
"The Hospital Research Foundation Group has been a critical resource for not only our team, but also for patients and families over the years."
Every dollar raised by you as a Longest Table host goes directly to life-saving cancer research through The Hospital Research Foundation (THRF) Group.
