RVI Newcastle first in UK to offer new cancer treatment

The RVI Hospital in Newcastle is the first in the UK to offer new Breast Cancer treatment. The pioneering new approach is called Radioactive Seed Localisation, and can only be carried out by major hospitals with the correct accreditation.It uses a very low dose radioactive 'seed' to guide surgeons to the tumour that is being removed.

Last year, Newcastle Hospitals screened nearly 38,000 women and picked up 350 cancers. Without routine screening, many of these cancers would not have been discovered.

Of the 350 cancers found last year, almost all were impalpable with 188 tumours less than 15mm in size.

Now, Breast Specialists at the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle are the first in the UK to offer a new technique to ensure the surgical treatment their patients receive is as accurate and safe as possible. This procedure is currently only available in Newcastle.

Over the next few months, the Newcastle Hospitals hope to phase out the use of wires for the majority of cases in favour of this new approach.