1 minute read
Innovative cancer treatment
A NEW treatment announced by Alicante Hospital should increase the chances of survival in women with ovarian cancer.
The new technique involves performing surgery to remove the tumour and then whilst still in surgery, treating the area with hightemperature chemotherapy to destroy any cancer cells that are left over after the operation.
The use of Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) is said to have produced good results. Until recently, patients could only be offered palliative treatment, such as peritoneal carcinomatosis, which is used when cancer has spread to other organs.
Doctor Josefina Marcos of the General Hospital of Alicante said: “In ovarian cancer, it is not possible to do a screening and that means by the time the patient is experiencing symptoms the tumour is already at an advanced stage.”
The estimated risk of developing ovarian cancer is one in 130 women and the highest incidence is between 50 and 75 years of age. Between 70 and 80 per cent of cases are diagnosed in an advanced stage (stages III and IV).
Patients will be evaluated to see if they will benefit from the new technique, or another one called PIPAC where chemotherapy is applied by aerosol.
Strike action will take place every Friday in May, from 10.30am to 11.30am, followed by a 24 hour strike in September according to the union statement.
They criticised the ‘lack of commitment’ by the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migrations, José Luis Escrivá, claiming it has caused a ‘chaotic’ situation in which they can only ‘raise the level of demand’.
The union also complained about the lack of measures for the organisation of human resources, through the creation of the Social Security Agency.
They highlighted the problems with everything related to remote work, work calendar, training, prevention, productivity, action social security, provision of jobs, application of additional funds, internal promotion, partial retirement, job stability and public employment offer.
