Study explores shorter radiotherapy for lung cancer patients in Coventry
Research aims to improve quality of life with fewer treatments
A study exploring whether shorter radiotherapy treatments can improve quality of life for lung cancer patients is being led by University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust.
Known as the ‘Shortened High-dose Palliative Radiotherapy for Lung Cancer’ (SHiP-Rt) study, the project has recruited 23 of its planned 37 participants so far.
Currently, patients diagnosed with advanced lung cancer typically receive radiotherapy in 12 daily sessions over a 16-day period, excluding weekends.
The SHiP-Rt study is investigating whether increasing doses during each treatment while reducing the number of sessions to six, given every other day, is a safe and viable approach using modern radiotherapy technology.
If successful, this method could reduce hospital visits for patients, shorten treatment durations, and avoid additional side effects. Researchers believe this could also improve NHS efficiency by freeing up radiotherapy slots for others, helping reduce waiting lists and save costs.
The study, led by Dr Raj Shrimali, Consultant Clinical Oncologist at UHCW NHS Trust, is the first of its kind sponsored by UHCW NHS Trust. It is being conducted in collaboration with University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, and The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust.
Dr Shrimali said: “Palliative patients need make only half the number of visits to hospital for treatment and will receive an equivalent dose in fewer visits. Our study will see whether this technique gives patients a better quality of life.”
He added that patients are being recruited across the West Midlands, with hopes that the study could expand nationally.
Dr Jo Hamilton, Consultant Clinical Oncologist at UHCW NHS Trust, said: “This is the first radiotherapy study in lung cancer to have originated in Coventry. We have got an excellent team of radiotherapists and physicists, and as part of this study we have also recruited our first Radiotherapy Research Fellow.”
Funded by UHCW Charity and Coventry Hospitals Charity, the study has also received approval from the Health Research Authority.