Destroying deep-seated tumours

Scientists at the University of Strathclyde are working on technology that could lead to a cheaper, safer way of destroying cancer tumours.

Treatment for deep-seated tumours currently relies on high-energy proton accelerators - machines so expensive that none are available in the UK.

Although the US, Japan, France and Germany have reported excellent results from the equipment, the £50m plus cost of each machine looks unlikely to decrease.

Now a team of Strathclyde physicists is looking to the future of a completely new therapy: a laser-driven treatment that could destroy deep-seated tumours while minimising the exposure of healthy tissue to radiation.

Scientists and clinicians from across the UK will meet at the University to discuss the feasibility of bringing the technology to cancer therapy of the future.

Professor Ken Ledingham, spokesman for the project, said: ‘Cancer is one of the UK's biggest killers, and although current particle technology is proving successful abroad, the huge cost has prevented treatment of tumours using particle beams from becoming widely available in the UK.