Papillon team honoured by international colleagues

Posted 31st October 2017

Congratulations to all in our Papillon team who have been honoured by international surgeons for their hard work.

The team were recognised for having the Best Clinical Podium Presentation by The Piedmont Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons.

The prestigious award was made after the meeting of The American Society of Colon and Rectal surgeons’ Annual Scientific and Tripartite Meeting in Seattle, USA.

Professor Sun Myint, who set up the UK’s first Papillon unit in Clatterbridge in 1993, said: “We are very pleased that we are getting the recognition we deserve for the hard work over the last 25 years on behalf of patients.”

The Papillon technique is a pioneering non-surgical treatment for early stage rectal cancer. It was formally approved by The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in 2015 and is a unique form of radiotherapy developed as an alternative to surgery that involves a stoma.

More than 1500 patients from around the UK and abroad have been treated at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre Papillon Suite. The unit is also responsible to training clinicians from other centres around the world in the technique which involves low energy contact radiotherapy for rectal tumours via a treatment tube.

Papillon is recommended for patients who are not fit enough for general anaesthesia or those who want to avoid major surgery. Another benefit is that it avoids the need for patients to have surgery which can result in them requiring a temporary or permanent stoma.

Prof Myint, Lead Papillon Clinician at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, added: “The NICE approval was to the benefit of patients who are not suitable for surgery. Colorectal surgeons are also being made aware of the benefits of Papillon treatment through the courses we run.”

The presentation in America, and subsequent award, will increase awareness of the treatment internationally and raise the profiles of the work being done by The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, Royal Liverpool University Hospital and the University of Liverpool.

The award was received by Fraser Smith who addressed delegates during the event which took place in June.

Mr Smith, Consultant in Colorectal Surgery at the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “It is really great to receive international recognition for the important work being done for patients to avoid major surgery.”