Papillon
Tackling cancer directly
Annual Patient Support Meeting 30th October 2024
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Some Enchanted Evening (Papillon Patient Support Group Meeting 2022 ) by Prof Myint
Our first post-pandemic face-to-face meeting of the Papillon patients’ support group took place on the 26th of October this year. We were all excited to meet in person after a long spell of nearly three years not seeing each other. Covid lockdown restrictions had prevented us from holding the annual meetings that we had been organising since 2008.
It was nice to see all the old and also new friends who came along, some from as far away as the Netherlands. The weather was kind to us that evening and those who came will have enjoyed the welcome drinks, tea, and biscuits at five, followed by a talk on Papillon progress by Prof Sun Myint.
Then came presentations by three patients, including one from the Netherlands. All shared the emotions of their journeys in getting Papillon treatment after refusing the alternative of surgery and a stoma, regarded as the standard of care with the better chance of curing their rectal cancer. All three stated that the latter had not been their only goal, and that they had been prepared to accept a less certain outcome by taking the path less travelled to maintain their quality of life.
Dr Raj Sripadam discussed his experience of having been transformed from Papillon sceptic to believer after seeing the remarkable results while working with Prof Sun Myint. He is now part of the Papillon team at Clatterbridge, which offers this treatment to patients from all over the UK.
The final presentation, by retired Cardiff University Senior Lecturer Ron Johntson, explained the Papillon Patient Support website, which he had upgraded and modernised to make more informative and user-friendly. Unfortunately, he had to overcome some technical challenges of his own on the evening, due to a power cut disrupting the Internet connection - at which point able bodies in the audience rose to the occasion to display their own skills.
All went well in the end. click for pics
Prof Sun Myint received his lifetime award from the board of ESTRO in recognition of his long-standing commitment and major contributions in advancing radiotherapy in Europe. He received his award from the President of ESTRO Prof Ben Slotman at the annual ESTRO general meeting on 27th August 2021 in Madrid. Follow this link for a transcript of the interview following the award of this honour clicking on this link here. An additional honour was the journal Radiation Oncology adopting one of his paintings as their 2014 Red Journal cover.
"The pilgrim" by Arthur Sun Myint 1976. [oil on canvas] 18"x24"
Video of presentation 27/04/21 courtesy of and with thanks to:
25 years of Papillon in the UK : Papillon Team receive the: Best Cancer Care Team Award 2018 from the British Medical Journal
In 2018 the Papillon team at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre celebrated 25 years of Papillon in the UK by picking up the Best Cancer Care Team award at the annual British Medical Journal Awards. This film documents 25 years of Papillon treatment with footage from the 25th anniversary study day as well as the team collecting their prestigious award.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has issued full guidance to the NHS in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland on, Low energy contact X-ray brachytherapy (the Papillon technique) for early stage rectal cancer, in September 2015. Description Low-energy contact X-ray brachytherapy (CXB; the Papillion technique) aims to improve…
“After going through treatment, I can now help others.”
Mitchell Cogan received Papillon treatment for bowel cancer in 2012 and 2013, and he is now a volunteer buddy at the Papillon and Patient Support Group (PAPS) helping to support others who are going through the treatment.
First treatments with the new Papillon radiotherapy machine:St Luke’s Cancer Centre
Four bowel cancer sufferers recently underwent the first treatments with the new Papillon radiotherapy machine at St Luke’s Cancer Centre, Royal Surrey County Hospital, Guildford. The hospital is the first in the south of England to offer this kind of treatment for bowel cancer – a unique form of radiotherapy which offers an alternative to…
The Papillon technique is a type of contact radiotherapy developed for treatment of rectal cancer. This groundbreaking treatment is important because, for certain types of rectal cancer, especially those in the early stages, it means surgery can be avoided. This is especially important for those patients who are not suitable or keen on extirpative surgery more info...
Almost 80 patients and family attended the annual ‘Papillon and patient support’ (PAPS) meeting last week in Wirral, Merseyside. Now in its fifth year this popular event brings together current and past Papillon patients to hear about the rapid progress of the treatment option and meet with other patients and their families. ‘Papillon’ is a…
Wirral professor who pioneered a life-changing bowel cancer treatment
wants it to be exported to the rest of the world
A DOCTOR who pioneered a treatment that is dramatically changing cancer sufferers’ lives is sharing his knowledge with the rest of the world. Wirral’s Clatterbridge Cancer Centre is one of a handful of centres that offer the Papillon technique to those with early stage bowel cancer. And it was first introduced to Britain in 1993…
more info...
Sue Davies has dedicated the last 10 years of her life to raising awareness of the little-known cancer treatment that saved her son’s life. It was after the 64-year-old’s son Mark was diagnosed with bowel cancer aged 31 that Sue decided to set up a pilot scheme with Macmillan Cancer Support at the Clatterbridge Cancer… more info...